Pernambut Tanneries Focus on Effluent and Waste Management

CSIR-CLRI Director Dr. P. Thanikaivelan and his team visited Talco Pernambut Tannery Effluent Treatment Company Ltd. to review its CETP and discuss cleaner technologies, sludge reduction and improved tannery waste management with local tanners.

Tanneries are under growing pressure to improve effluent treatment, cut sludge generation and manage solid waste more effectively as environmental standards and buyer expectations rise. In Pernambut, these priorities were discussed by local tanners and scientists from CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute (CSIR-CLRI), with a focus on cleaner and more efficient tannery operations.

CSIR-CLRI Director Dr. P. Thanikaivelan, along with Dr. R. Aravindhan and Dr. Shakila Shobana, visited the Talco Pernambut Tannery Effluent Treatment Company Limited on 1 September 2026 as part of the institute’s outreach activities in Tamil Nadu’s leather clusters.

The team toured the Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) and reviewed the treatment facility while discussing environmental challenges with members of the local tanning industry.

A key focus of the discussions was the adoption of cleaner technologies that can reduce sludge generation during tannery operations. The team also discussed ways to strengthen solid waste management and improve the handling and utilization of waste generated during leather processing.

The visit comes as tanneries face increasing pressure to improve environmental performance without adding significantly to production costs. For leather manufacturers, reducing sludge and improving waste management can help lower the burden of waste treatment and disposal while supporting more efficient use of resources.

The Pernambut visit was part of a wider cluster outreach program organized by the Council for Leather Exports (CLE) Southern Region, covering major leather centers including Ranipet, Ambur, Vaniyambadi, Pernambut and Pallavaram.

The wider program focused on practical solutions for cleaner production, waste management and resource efficiency. At Ranipet, for example, discussions included cleaner processing options, solid waste utilization and ways to reduce chemical costs.

The CETP visit also included a review of ongoing upgradation work being carried out under the STEP sub-scheme of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade’s Indian Footwear and Leather Development Program(IFLDP).

For Pernambut’s leather industry, strengthening common effluent treatment infrastructure while reducing sludge and improving solid waste management could help address both environmental and operational challenges.

As global leather buyers increasingly examine production practices and environmental performance, such measures are becoming an important part of maintaining the competitiveness of tannery clusters.

The focus on cleaner technologies and better waste management could therefore support Pernambut’s efforts to meet evolving sustainability expectations while maintaining its role as an important leather producing center.