The Environmental Management & Technology Fund of The Egyptian Environmental Initiatives Fund (EEIF) provided technical and financial support to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Delta and Alexandria region to comply with the environmental laws and regulations.
This support firstly necessitated the preparation of feasibility studies for the projects to be funded. Within this context, feasibility studies were required for the leather industries in El-Max area in Alexandria, to arrive at solutions for the tanneries to comply with environmental regulations.
Environics and EWATEC – Environmental and Water Engineering Consultants were contracted to prepare the needed studies.
Environics conducted investigations at 44 tanneries to inspect and assess the following:
– The environmental problems associated with the industrial processes of the tanneries
– Total water consumption and the possibilities for its reduction or for reuse of water to decrease the capacity of the treatment plant
– Liquid effluent in terms of flow and characteristics
– Solid wastes and gaseous emissions
– Sewage networks at the tanneries site in El-Max area
– Potential process and in-plant modifications to reduce wastewater pollution prior to the end-of-pipe treatment system
Based on these investigations, Environics undertook the following:
– Developed a treatability study of the combined end-of-pipe tannery effluents
– Suggested feasible alternative schemes for remedial measures combining in-process and in-plant modules to solve environmental pollution problems
– Selected the preferred integrated scheme (PIS) and justified this selection
– Prepared performance specifications for PIS
– Prepared a detailed cost estimate for the industrial wastewater sewer system and the wastewater treatment plant
– Carried out bid evaluation