Leather and the Environment
As fashionable, as formidable, as cool as it is, environmentally speaking, leather is a disaster. The problem with leather is that the primary source of commercial grade leather comes from cows. And, of course, it is generally agreed that cows are terrible for the environment. They require large open spaces to graze, which often requires the wholesale destruction of vast swathes of greenbelt, leading to deforestation. Cows generate enormous amounts of methane gas, contributing to global warming and ozone depletion. Finally, the enormous amounts of manure generated by the animals has been cited as a threat to waterways around the globe.
Even after these problems have been taken into consideration, there are the chemicals used to turn animal skin into usable, commercial leather products. In addition to dyes, tanning agents, and hair removers, leather must be treated to stop the bio-degredation process. The trouble is that the chemicals used for these treatments often contain volatile, dangerous elements that can lead to health problems for those who come into contact with them.
As an example, one report on the environmental impact of the leather industry in Pakistan states that solid wastes from the leather industry can contain chromium residues. The report goes on to say that this chromium residue can enter the food chain through its inclusion in waste products purchased as feed for poultry farms.
Another report states that while the amounts of solid and gaseous wastes are high, liquid waste from Ecuadorian leather tanneries forms the bulk of chemical contaminants. The combined chemical treatments need to be treated as two separate streams of waste, and yet they are often simply released into local waterways.
Not only are the chemicals dangerous, most of the world's leather supply comes from China and India, countries notorious for their willingness to ignore safety standards and environmental considerations in their factories. It should also be noted that activist groups like PETA cite India as one of the worst offenders when it comes to the humane treatment of animals.
In fact, from an environmental point of view, there is very little to be said in favor of leather. While some companies are trying to develop more ecologically friendly forms of leather production, many others seem content to develop synthetic alternatives.
The BLC Leather Technology Center has even made an attempt at defining the term "eco leather". They suggest that while there is no agreed definition, there are some things that should be taken into consideration when deciding if a leather meets the idea of eco-friendliness. These include a company's ability to effectively control both the process and the chemicals used, as well as measure how clean the technologies are that a company uses in their processes. The BLC has started a rating system based on these guidelines as an effort to aid consumers in choosing environmentally friendly products.
Debate remains as to whether eco-friendly leather production is actually viable or if eco-friendly just means less environmentally damaging. Similarly, there is debate over whether petroleum based alternatives are truly more environmentally friendly than leather or if they, too, are just less damaging. One thing that is not up for debate, however, is the reality of the leather industry. The chemicals used in the tanning process are incredibly harmful both to people and the environment if not treated and disposed of properly. However, as awareness of these issues grow so too does the possibility that someday soon, there will be a good alternative to today's leather.