Urban Environmentaland Socioeconomic Implicationsof Traditional Tanningin Omdurman City –Sudan

Abstract

The aim of the present work is to investigate the occupational environment of traditional tanneries in Omdurman, their labourers socioeconomic characteristics, and their hazardous impacts on labourers and on the geographic neighborhood,aswell. Threesurveys were carried out during April 2011 among concerned labourers and administrations of tanneries, soil and refuse water weretestedandstages of traditional tanning and production are depicted. Results give daily production of 162 tons of tanned leather, and tanning of one ton of leather produces 53 cubic meter of refuse water which contains higher levels of chromium and sulphate exceeding recommended world standards. The internal environment of the tanneries lacks safety. Labourers are mainly from urban poor with an impoverished rural background. These implications are discussed within the national context of the Sudan, and the paper tries to recommend a model for the future alleviation of them.