Talco-DinTec

Overview

The tanning industry is one of the oldest industries in Tamil Nadu. There are nearly 700 tanneries in this state. More than 90% tanneries are in small and medium scale sector located mostly in clusters. Dindigul is one of the important tannery clusters in Tamil Nadu with 50 tanneries and having a Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) with a capacity of 2533 m3/day. The DINTEC CETP was established during 1996 with Central and State Government assistance.

The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF-CC) supported the establishment of pilot demonstration plant for improved Common Chrome Recovery System (CCRS) with the recovery of chromium in the form of chromium cake for reuse in the chromate factories and water recovery for reuse under zero discharge concepts. The CCRS system has become mandatory for chrome tanneries and the expansion of CCRS for meeting all the chrome tanneries in Dindigul Cluster and will result in improving the flexibility in the process to meet the market demand, increase in production, sustainable development and overall export.

During the recent times, the Municipal administration of Govt. of Tamilnadu and TNPCB have accorded permission to utilize the treated domestic sewage from the Dindigul Municipal STP for mixing with treated tannery effluent as an alternative option for TDS management (i.e. within 2100mg/l) and develop social forestry by using the diluted tannery effluent mixed with treated domestic sewage. This alternative option for TDS management would reduce the high energy and maintenance cost towards the Multiple State Evaporators (MEE) and minimize the overall O&M cost.