Division 2.1 Water consumption
United Kingdom
The criterion shall apply when the leather content used in shoe uppers or shoe outer soles is greater than 10,0 % weight by weight of either component.
Water consumption expressed as the annual average volume of water consumed per tonne of raw hides and skins shall not exceed the limits given in Table 1.
Table 1
Maximum permitted water consumption in tanning processes
| Hides | 28 m3/t |
| Skins | 45 m3/t |
| Vegetable tanned leather | 35 m3/t |
| Pigskin | 80 m3/t |
| Sheepskins | 180 l/skin |
Assessment and verification: the applicant shall provide a declaration of compliance from the leather supplier or leather manufacturing company, as appropriate. The declaration shall specify the annual amount of leather production and related water consumption based on the monthly average values of the last 12 months preceding the application, measured by the quantity of waste water discharged.
If the leather production process is conducted in different geographical locations, the applicant or supplier of semi-finished leather shall provide documentation that specifies the quantity of water discharged (m3) for the quantity of semi-finished leather processed in tonnes (t) or number of skins for sheepskin, as appropriate, based on the monthly average values during the 12 months preceding the application.