What is wrong with leather?
One of the byproducts of slaughterhouses is leather. Even though there is not a direct contribution to the killing of animals, there is still the increased revenue to the slaughterhouses, and leather sales are a significant part of their annual profits. Some leather is from animals that are grown for the specific purpose of using their skins. From an ecological standpoint, turning hides into leather is energy intensive and polluting to the environment. It involves soaking, tanning, dyeing, drying, and finishing. Most leather produced in the USA is chrome tanned. All waste containing chromium is considered hazardous by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Other pollutants result from the processing of leather goods. Health risks are associated with these pollutants.
