At present, sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) has gained a great momentum in this competitive business world for any kind of industry. Leather industry (leather, leather products, and footwear) is the second export earning sector of Bangladesh which is scrambling to implement SSCM in its working cycle. There are lot of challenges that are creating barriers for this industry owners in establishing sustainability practices in their supply chain management. There is lack of enough research in identifying the challenges of SSCM for leather industry of Bangladesh. That’s why, it is very imperative to identify the challenges of SSCM for leather industry in Bangladesh which will guide the industry owners to combat these challenges. In this research, we have not only identified the challenges of SSCM for leather industry but also evaluated the relationship among them. Besides, a priority list of identified challenges is depicted through which the industry owners can easily find out the major and minor challenges. Five industrial experts were selected from export-oriented leather and footwear factories in order to sort out the appropriate challenges. Decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) technique was applied to assess the relationship among identified 18 challenges and divided them into two groups such as cause and effect. The casual challenges are lack of knowledge and experience, lack of technical expertise, corruption, social unawareness, lack of acceptance of new technology, lack of training on SSCM, poor organizational culture, market competition and uncertainty, lack of commitment from top management and lack of integration of IT system. On the other hand, lack of eco-literacy among supply chain stakeholders, financial constraints, lack of government rules and regulations, cost of sustainability, limitations of capacity, lack of management initiatives for reverse logistics, demand for lower price and lack of energy and waste management policy were identified as effect group challenges. This study will help the decision-makers of leather industry in formulating strategic policies to address these challenges for in implementing SSCM in leather industry that will drive these sectors toward sustainable development.

The leather industrial wastewaters are a major source of water pollution among all industrial sector considering both quantity and composition. This research study was focused on the current chemical and physical parameters of tannery wastewater and treatment processes through sawdust filter media and ferric oxide (Fe2O3) coagulant. The study found that tannery wastewater contained exceptionally high values of TDS, TSS, TS, BOD, COD, SO42-, Cl-, Na+, Ca++, chromium, lead, cadmium and arsenic and these parameters of the composite were exceeded the standard discharge limits which are considered as toxicants for the environment. The wastewaters were filtered by saw-dust filtration processes and then treated with different dosage of Fe2O3. The experiment elucidated that the filtration technique could minimize certain amount of toxicant load from the wastewater but not efficient enough to practise the technique alone using as wastewater treatment. The chemical interaction with 100 mg/L coagulant (Fe2O3) dosage at pH similar to 9 showed the best result of the major parameters. The study suggested that both combined physical (filtration) and chemical (Fe2O3, coagulants) treatment processes could be fruitful to reduce the toxicants load from tannery wastewater.