Key Findings from the LCA Study on Leather Production 🌍

🌎 Broad Geographical Scope
The study analysed 16 facilities across 11 countries, making it one of the most comprehensive Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) in the leather industry.

🌱 Environmental Impact of Leather
Bovine leather products were found to have higher CO₂ equivalent loads compared to fossil-based products. Key environmental concerns highlighted were eutrophication and climate change, which are critical issues for the leather production process.

📉 Challenges with Primary Data
A major limitation in the study was the reliance on secondary farming data (Ecoinvent) due to a lack of specific primary data on cattle farming. Additionally, chemical compositions were often approximated when not directly disclosed by suppliers.

⚗️ Chemical and Process Data
Chemical inputs were assessed through process recipes and pollutant sampling at drum exhausts. Analysis of water quality and wastewater provided valuable insights into the environmental impacts of tannery operations.

🛠️ Life Cycle Scope and Allocation Methodology
The study focused on processes from “cradle to tannery exit gate”, but it did not include the environmental impacts of finished leather goods. Economic allocation factors for hides from beef production were revised to align with PEF methodology.

💡 Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths:

• High-quality data collection from tanneries
• Innovative sectoral approaches
• Comprehensive bottom-up methodology

Weaknesses:

• Medium confidence in upstream farming data
• Chemical impact estimations have room for improvement

🔮 Potential Impact and Future Research Directions
The study establishes important benchmarks for future LCAs in leather production. Scenarios incorporating renewable energy showed a significant influence on abiotic depletion and climate impact. However, the results may be challenging to compare with other studies due to the use of averaged production data.

🤔 Overall Impression

The study offers a comprehensive look at the environmental impacts of leather production, with a focus on tannery-level data. While its scope is broad, covering multiple countries, it remains limited by gaps in farming and chemical supply data. Despite this, the study provides valuable benchmarks for future research and highlights the significant impact of renewable energy in reducing environmental harm. The findings confirm known industry challenges but also set the stage for further studies with more refined data.