Valorisation of fleshings coming from tannery wastes

ABSTRACT

Technology for the valorisation of fleshings, by-product coming from the mechanical operations of tanning process. It allows the recovery of fat and protein in a feasible economic way. Fat is able to be re-used in the tanning sector or in the production of soaps, and protein hydrolisate can find application in agriculture as leaf fertilizer or in tanning sector as retanning or finishing products.

TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION

The tanning sector generates high quantity of solid wastes, part of these wastes are fleshings coming from the mechanical operations within the tanning processes. The equivalent of approximately 10-30% of the weight of raw hides is removed as wet fleshings during the fleshing step of the tanning process.

Approximately fleshings are composed of 75% of water, 12% of fat, 8% of protein, and 5% of chemicals carried over from previous tanning process steps.

The valorisation process is composed of the following steps:

Heat contribution to melt the fat of the fleshings
Separate the liquid phase of the solid phase
Separate the fat phase of the liquid phase
Hydrolyse the protein of the solid phase
Recover the solution of protein hydrolysed

The obtained fat can be used in the tanning sector and other sectors and also it can be used for producing soaps. Protein valorisation produces retanning or finishing products for the tanning sector and also fertilisers for plants.

AIICA has the patent ES 2255873 B1 “Process to treat fleshings”

INNOVATIVE ASPECTS

The hydrolysis system is designed to obtain a good separation between fat and protein.
Fabrication of high added value products

MAIN BENEFITS

Low investment
Simple and environment-friendly process, feasible economically
Valorisation of waste

OBJECTIVE MARKET

The process is offered to manufacturers of protein or fat products, with knowledge of the recycling industry and companies that may up-grade the management of the solid tannery waste by adding value to their by-products.