Before applying cleaner production, the enterprise was in the list of enterprises which were required to move out of residential areas due to their seriously polluting environment. However, moving the enterprises out of residential areas could not thoroughly solve the pollution problem. Without solution to the problem, moving enterprise could move the pollution from its previous place to another place.
To solve the problem, the enterprise accessed Cleaner Production Program in Industries of Ministry of Industry and Trade, and applied cleaner production into the process of moving the enterprise location and building new location.
In 2008, the enterprise received the support from Minsitry of Industry and Trade through the component of Cleaner Production in Industries (CPI), and technical consultancy from Ho Chi Minh City’s Cleaner Production Center to assess and apply cleaner production options.
In stage 1(from May to September 2008), the enterprise established Cleaner Production Team led by Mr. Nguyen Phuc Le – the owner of the enterprise – and other 4 members to carry the clean production assessment on the whole of the enterprise. The assessment of the production lines, the verification of waste streams, the balance of materials and energy were worked out. Then all data collected were used for analyzing to find out the cleaner production options for each production process.
The benefits brought in to the enterprise from applying cleaner production are detailed as follows:
| Technical benefit | Economic benefit | Environmental benefit |
| Stage I | ||
| Reducing 12% of water consumption benchmark/ton of product | Saving 24 million dong/year | Reducing CO2 emitted to the environment |
| Reducing time for cooling products from 24h/batch to 12h/batch | Reducing waste water discharged to the environment | |
| Saving of labour day/production shift | ||
| Saving time to convey materials and to clean equipment | ||
| Stage II | ||
| Reducing fuel 28% | Saving 800 million dong | Reducing CO2 emitted to the environment Thoroughly solving the problem of environment pollution |
| Reducing electricity consumption 18.89% as reducing time for cooling to 50% | ||
| Saving labour in production and in transporting materials | ||
The following is the typical cleaner production solutions of the factory:
| No. | Option | Investment | Performance | CP technique |
| 1 | Re-build new stove take advantage of the heat-smoke on the cooking process | 200,000,0000 VND | 742,848,000 VND | EM |
| 2 | Invest new workshop to serve production move | 1,701.408,744 VND | EM | |
| 3 | Building new process waste water focus system | 500,000,000 VND | EM | |
| 4 | Invest land to moving workshop + moving costs | 760,000,000 VND | EM | |
| 5 | Making new filtering nets which joint to containers and easily to be disassembled | Low cost | Ensuring safety for next processes | EM |
| 6 | Equipping with lights, fan, glass door to adjust the process of ferment in optimal temperature | 3,000,000 VND | Ensuring safe production | EM |
| 7 | Equipping with pressure washing machines and reasonably managing water use in cleaning processes | 10,000,000 VND | Ensuring better and more safety production procedure Saving 11,880,000 VND | EM |
Remarks: GH: Good Housekeeping, EM: Equipment Modification; OR: Onsite Recovery, EOP: End-of-pipe
Being aware of the benefits from the cleaner production, the company decided to maintain the operation of the cleaner production team, and put the cleaner production activities into the general management system of the company. To do this, a simple environment management system was established. Also, the company made an environmental policy which stipulates the strict implementation of the Law of Environmental Protection and regulations to ensure the sustainable development and minimize the causes of waste. Besides, the company integrated the production management system and the environmental management system so that the consumption of materials and energy were controlled by monitoring the criteria in waste streams. A system of sampling and legal procedure was also built to be applied in collecting, checking, and analyzing environmental data.
An environmental monitoring plan has been conducted. It aim to monitor the considerable improvements brought in by the cleaner production options, and to adjust them incase some environmental benefits are reduced. The environmental monitoring system comprises air monitoring and waste water monitoring.
Cleaner Production not only brings in benefits from energy saving, emission reduction, water consumption reduction, but also helps the company to develop production, improve product quality, and affirm the company reputation. The cleaner production options which have been implemented at the company are typical examples for coconut processing factories in Vietnam./.