YFA Company Limited is a private company, in mineral exploitation sector of Phu Tho province and established in May 2003. The company was allowed by Phu Tho People’s Committee to exploit natural mineral of Kaolin at Doi Chieng, La Phu, Thanh Thuy, Phú Thọ. The mine has exploiting area of 2.3 ha with Kaolin reserve of 400.000 tons with good and even quality. The Kaolin processing factory was constructed in 2004 at La Phu, Thanh Thuy, Phu Thọ, 3 km far from the mine, with design capacity of 20.000 tons/year and the total employees are 160 people.

In 2009, under the supporting of Ministry of Industry and Trade through Cleaner Production in Industry (CPI) component and technical supporting of Vietnam Cleaner Production Centre, the Company has obtained good results in phase 1 (from August 2009 to February 2010). Based on these results and under the supporting of CPI, the Company had implemented phase 2 (from 3/2010 to first quarter of 2011) and went into production in a stable.

Before applying CP, the company produced two main products are kaolin and weathered kaolin. This production process generates a large amount of solid waste as ore waste (about 132-206 thousand tons per year). After receiving consulting and supporting of CPI, the company had implemented some options as construct workshop of screening, grinding of solid waste to reuse it to make material for construction ceramic sector. This solution can solve the problem of solid waste but also bring economic performance.

 Particular benefits derived from Cleaner Production are as follows:


Particular benefits derived from Cleaner Production are as follows:

Remarks: GH: Good Housekeeping; EC: Equipment change; OR: Onsite Recovery

Perceiving the benefits from CP application, the company insisted to maintain the CP team activities and integrate CP in the general management system at place. In order to facilitate CP application, a simple environmental management system has been developed. The Company has also set up environmental policy, whereby it is requested that the environmental protection law and other regulations should be followed strictly, ensuring the sustainable development of the company and reducing waste emission sources. The Company has integrated process management system with the environmental management system, therefore, energy and material consumption is monitored at the same time with the monitoring of pollutant parameters in the waste streams. A sample system and legal procedures are built and applied for environment data collection, checking, classification and data analysis.
 
An environmental monitoring plan has been initiated. The aim of the plan is to monitor significant improvements from applying CP or to adjust if there is any reduction in environmental benefits. Environment monitoring system includes monitoring air quality and wastewater.

CP not only brings about benefits from energy saving, emission minimization, reduced water consumption, but also helps the Company increase production, improve product quality, and prove prestige. The implemented CP options at the Company are a typical case study for enterprises in the sector of mining production in Vietnam./.