Tanneries are operating widely in Mongolia and currently there more than 30 tanneries in Ulaanbaatar and Darkhan. At the same time, there are more than 100 small and medium enterprises producing leather products in the capital city and provinces. About 80% of these industries are owned by foreigners and about 80 to 90 % of their raw materials are imported to China. Leather, wool, and cashmere processing plants that produce products harm the environment and are the main cause of air, soil, and water pollution in the environment. Citizens said that large quantities of raw materials that could not be recycled domestically were dumped, causing significant damage to the soil and the environment.
B.Batnasan – Leather and raw material trader said “In general, the raw materials and the Mongolian market are controlled by the Chinese. 80-90 percent of it goes to China. As prices fall in China, most raw materials are dumped, starting with a foul odor and harming the soil. Mongolian leather has been in decline for the last 2-3 years. Therefore, if we export our national factory to foreign markets, the price of leather and raw materials will go up, and it will be good to support our herders and us everywhere”
M.Sunjidmaa – an employee of the semi-processing factory said “A lot of sheep and goat skins are being thrown away. Mongolians send their waste in bulk trucks. Once dumped, it pollutes the environment. It is difficult to dump a lot of raw materials.”
Ts. Myagmarsuren – Citizen said “There is a lot of garbage and it smells. It is not loaded at all. I told them to load, but they have not loaded for a long time because their car is broken. Raw material waste has a strong odor, and it stinks in the morning and evening when the wind blows. It is very difficult.”