Leather Products Manufacturing
Industry Overview
Not all facilities that manufacture leather goods produce haz-
ardous waste. If you do produce hazardous waste, however, you
might be subject to Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA) requirements covering the generation, transportation, and
management of hazardous waste.
Your business is included in the leather products manufactur-
ing industry category if you:
• Tan or finish leather
or if you manufacture:
• Boot and shoe cut stock and findings
• Non-rubber footwear
• Leather gloves and mittens
•Luggage
• Handbags and other leather goods.
Hazardous Wastes from Leather
Products Manufacturing
Manufacturers of leather products are likely to produce spent
solvent wastes and wastes from the use of lacquers, materials con-
taining lead, dyes, or materials that produce hydrogen sulfide.
Table 1 lists general processes/operations that use hazardous ma-
terials and that might result in the generation of hazardous waste.
If you generate 100 kilograms (220 pounds or about half of a 55-
gallon drum) or more of hazardous waste per month, you must
fill out a Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest when you ship the
hazardous waste off your property. The Manifest requires the
proper Department of Transportation (DOT) description for each
waste. Table 2 lists proper DOT shipping descriptions for a num-
ber of wastes that might be generated by the leather products
manufacturing industry. Table 1 and Table 2 are not comprehen-
sive lists. If a particular chemical you use is not included in these
tables and you suspect it is hazardous, contact your state haz-
ardous waste management agency or EPA Regional office for as-
sistance.
Waste Minimization
An effective waste minimization program can reduce the costs
liabilities, and regulatory burdens of hazardous waste manage-
ment, while potentially enhancing efficiency, product quality, am
community relations. Waste minimization techniques that can
help you reduce the amount of hazardous waste that you generate
include:
• Production planning and sequencing
• Process/equipment adjustment or modification
• Raw material substitution
• Loss prevention and housekeeping
• Waste segregation and separation
• Recycling.
Training and supervision of employees implementing waste
minimization techniques is an important part of your successful
program. Call the RCRA/Superfund Hotline toll-free at 800-424-
9346 (or TDD 800-553-7672 for the hearing-impaired) for waste
minimization information and publications.
Table 1
Typical Leather Manufacturing Operations:
Materials Used and Hazardous Wastes that Might be
Generated
Process/
Operation
Materials
Used
General Types of
Waste Generated
Beamhouse/
Tanhouse
Finishing/
Trimming
Lime, acids, chromium,
salts
Chromium, solvents,
dyes, lacquers
Acid/Alkaline wastes
Toxic heavy metal wastes
(dust and sludge)
Other toxic wastes
Toxic heavy metal wastes
(dust and sludge)
Other toxic wastes
Spent solvent wastes
EPA/530-SW-90-027r
Printed on recycled paper
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Table 2
Leather Products Manufacturing Waste Descriptions1
Waste Type
SPENT SOLVENTS,
Trichlorocthylene*
Carbon Tctrachloride*
Designations/Trade Names
SOLVENT STILL BOTTOMS, AND
Tri-Clene, Trielene, Tri
Perchloromethane, Tetraform,
DOT Shipping Nan
OTHER IGNITABLE OR '
Waste Trichloroethyl
Waste Carbon Tetract
ie
roxic
me
loride
Hazard Class
WASTES CONTAINING:
ORM-A
ORM-A
UN/NA
ID Number
UN1710
UN 1846
Toluene
Methyl Ethyl Ketone*
Carbona, Halon 104
Toluol, Methercid, Methyl Benzene,
Methylbenzol, Phenylmethane,
Antisol 1A
Methyl Ethyl Ketone, MEK, Methyl
Acetone, Meetco, Butanone, Ethyl
Methyl Ketone
Waste Toluene (toluol)
Waste Methyl Ethyl Ketone
Flammable Liquid2
Flammable Liquid
UN 1294
UN1193
Benzene*
White Spirits
Kerosene
Hcxachloroethane*
Ethyl Benzene
Chlorobcnzcne*
Trichloroethylene*
OTHER HAZARDOUS
Hazardous Waste, NOS4
Benzene
Mineral Spirits, Naphtha, Stoddard
Solvent
Kerosene, Fuel Oil #1
Hexachloroethane
Ethyl Benzene
Monochlorobenzene, Phenylchloride
Trichloroethylene, Ethinyl trichloride,
Tri-Clene, Trielene, Tri
WASTE
Hazardous Waste
Waste Benzene (benz
Waste Naphtha
Waste Kerosene
Waste Hexachloroeth
ul) Flammable Liquid
Flammable Liquid
Combustible Liquid3
me ORM-A
Waste Ethyl Benzene Flammable Liquid
'
Waste Chlorobenzem: / Flammable Liquid
Waste Trichloroethyl
Hazardous Wastes, Li
ane ORM-A
juid or Solid, NOS - ORM-E
UNI 114
UN2553
TJN1223
NA9037
UNI 175
UNI 134
UN1710
'NA9189
* Toxicity Characteristic constituent. Any waste that results in a TCLP extract containing & Toxicity Characteristic constituent equal to or above regulatory
levels is hazardous.
I These descriptions may change given variations in waste characteristics or conditions. Note that the DOT shipping name, hazard class, and UN/NA ID number
do not directly correspond to RCRA categories of hazardous waste.
i A flammable liquid has a flash point below 100°F.
3 A combustible liquid has a flash point between 100°F and 200°F. .
4 NOS - Not otherwise specified.
1*-."«•'•
..'•-,.. .I. • i • I • .',, 1. .
.:',' ->'/. A'lii ,C '-ll.si.1: ,'. .;,' ,:• ;,- „
For further information call the RCRA/Superfund Hotline 1-800-424-9346
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