Unique Features of the CETP

The plant is designed to handle about 4500 Cum/day of effluent, making it one of the largest Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) for tannery wastewater in the country. Since its establishment in the year 1995, the CETP has been constantly upgraded with either partial assistance or matching grant from the Government of India and Tamil nadu.

Some of the unique features of this treatment facility are:

• India's first CETP to achieve the highest International Standard for Quality - the ISO Standard. RANITEC CETP achieved ISO 9001 Certificate on 15th November 1999 and is currently ISO 9001: 2008 Certified Company by DNV, The Netherlands.
• World first RANITEC CETP in leather sector to achieve the highest International Standard for Environmental Management System - the ISO Standard. The CETP has achieved ISO 14001 Certification on 29th January 2014, certified by DET NORSKE VERITAS (DNV), The Netherlands.
• The formation of Waste Minimization Circles with support of Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) has created awareness among the CETP member tanners and resulted in reducing the usage of water consumption in the processes of tanning to 28 litres/Kg in compliance to the Corporate Responsibility for Environmental Protection (CREP).
• Implementation of Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) System of the CETP by a Special Purpose Vehicle formed in the name and style "Chennai Environmental Management Company of Tanners" (CEMCOT) under the chairmanship of Mr.M.Mohamed Hashim Sahib and vice-chairmanship of Mr. A.Sahasranaman, I.A.S., (Rtd).
• Installation of ZLD System at a cost of Rs.460 million under the Up-gradation and Installation of Infrastructure for Environmental Protection in the Tanning Industry of the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce and Industry under the ILDP scheme of 11th Five Year Plan.

• The ZLD System of RANITEC CETP consists of the following:

  1. CETP Upgradtion: Replacement of the collection and conveyance lines, new mixing system and odour control system in receiving sump, new mechanical screen, pre-settler, new aeration tank with new blowers and diffusers, additional mechanical sludge dewatering, softening to remove hardness and improvement in monitoring.
  2. RO System: Pre-treatment filtration, organic scavenger, ultra-filtration, two stage reverse osmosis and automated control system for the same.
  3. Multiple Effect Evaporation of RO Reject: Seven effect evaporation with thermal vapour re-compression system and pusher centrifuge for separation of salts.
  4. Salt Disposal Yard: Special disposal unit to store generated salt for two years at full capacity.
  5. Recovered Water Conveyance System: Over Head Tanks and piping system with metering for conveying the recovered water back to individual tanneries.
• Connection of CETP flow meters to the CARE AIR CENTER of Tamilnadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) for online monitoring.
• Operation of the plant in the CETP with computerized management system.
• India's First Tannery CETP to have installed Electromagnetic flow meters in all operating member tanneries and implemented flow based maintenance charges since 1999. This also complies with the Charter for Corporate Responsibility for Environmental Protection (CCREP), 2003
• This plant was co-sponsored by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) until 2001 and considered a model CETP for the South East Asian region, under an agreement signed by RANITEC and then UNIDO's Regional program office in Chennai.
• Construction of a Secure Land Fill System (SLF) with a capacity of 1,00,000 ton at a cost of Rs.81.81 million under the ASIDE scheme with the technical assistance from Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI).