Friday 6th May

The processing of waste from the tanning industry

Central Novo Hamburgo

The water flowing into the waterworks

Today a slighter later start at 9.00 which was welcome - then off to the the water purification works in Novo Hamburgo which turns what looks like dirty water from the River Sinos into water to a drinkable standard - the site produces the water for the city (approx 250,000 population so smaller than other we have been to). The city is also working towards providing main drainage to all households about 5% at present.

Another day another interview for a monthly magazine.

A quick stroll round the city before lunch at a Mexican restaurant - although the food wasn't too different to what we had had most days but very appetising.

After lunch and a chat with the President of one of the four clubs in the city it was off to one of the largest tanneries in Brazil who process about 1,000 hides a day. They received them in blue-water format (part tanned) and they finish the leather generally for upholstery for furniture and cars. There are smaller tanneries in the area which do more specialist work for shoes, bags etc. The industry is suffering as one company is becoming an monolopy and they are controlling bto flow of hides. The company controls slaughter houses and so the complete chain.

As I said earlier in the week there are different ways of dealing with the waste from tanning and this tannery has set up a company ISLA who take the material heat it to 180C and the material is then dried and forms a fertiliser which is sold predominately to Italy as it still has to gain a licence for use in Brazil?? There were a few questions asked as one of the main chemicals used in tanning is chronium - the answer given was that there was Chronium 3 in the fertilser and that can be placed on land and they have had no instances of Chronium 6 which is appartently the hazardeous one.

Finally the team and hosts went to a club? which has 10 pin bowling, food and a live band who start to play at about 0.15 - we didn't last too long but it was helped by the

fact we had no specific activity on Saturday.