Environmental aspects and health risks of leather tanning industry: a study in the Hazaribag area

The tannery industry in Hazaribag, which is one of the most polluted areas in Dhaka City, produces a huge quantity of wastes every day. Without treatment, these are discharged into the Buriganga River and pollute the surrounding environment. This article examines the impacts of tannery wastes on workers’ health and the environment in that particular area. As part of the methodology, a semi-structured interview was conducted in order to obtain quantitative data and 112 respondents were interviewed using purposive sampling. The findings of the study indicate that tannery wastes affect the environment severely, causing ecological imbalance and the spreading of different kinds of fatal and contagious disease among the tannery workers and other individuals. Moreover, the current waste management system of the Hazaribag tannery industries is very suspect due to outdated technology, defective drainage systems, lack of financial input, and the exploitative attitude of their owners. The findings also indicate that tannery workers are unaware of the effects of tannery waste as they choose not to wear personal protective equipment in the workplace. This empirical study helps policy makers implement appropriate measures to raise awareness, among both owners and workers, that can influence changes in the public’s attitude and reduce environmental pollution to a great extent. Although considerable research has been undertaken focusing on tannery waste impact assessment, less attention has been paid to the issue of workers’ health. Therefore, both governments and policy makers can benefit from the findings of this study.