The enterprise's director, Nguyen Truong Thien said: "before joining the cleaner production program, the enterprise's largest concern was how to properly treat solid wastes and gas emissions before they were discharged into the environment."

Formerly, the enterprise discharged over 3,000cu.m of untreated waste-water and 80 tonnes of solid wastes into the environment on average each year. More worriedly, the waste-water contained a lot of toxic chemicals such as H2O2, NAOH and SiO2. In addition, the huge amount of gas emissions and dust resulted from production was detrimental to the laborers' health and the environment.

In 2008, the enterprise was selected by the Quang Nam Department of Industry and Trade to get support from the Cleaner Production in Industry Component (CPI) under the Ministry of Industry and Trade for expediting cleaner production solutions and it was one of the first provincial businesses embracing the cleaner production approach. Accordingly, the enterprise established a cleaner production team to identify hurdles, make analyses, and choose the best solutions to save energy, resources and effectively protect workplace environment. Later, the enterprise had taken a series of measures such as modernizing the rattan whitening system, establishing a waste-water treatment and a rattan drying systems and installing a dust filter system, etc.

The enterprise posted amazingly exceptional results through applying less costly and simple management solutions. For example, it could save 40 percent of gas expenses by rationalizing the production process. In addition, by installing plastic panels to absorb natural sunlight and replacing incandescent lamps with compact lamps the enterprise could save several dozen million Vietnam dong in electricity bills each month.

The enterprise has also recorded encouraging results in the program's second phase when more costly measures were applied. In the past the enterprise used seven rattan whitening tanks with capacity of 3cu.m/each tank. As diverse chemicals were used in whitening and the process took place in normal temperature conditions the process was quite time consuming, averaging around 30 hours/batch. Besides, the cement tanks were easily eroded by chemicals. Therefore, the enterprise has invested in a stainless steel rattan whitening system. The change helped the business save 40 percent of the chemicals and curtail the time for whitening by a half. The process alone helped the enterprise save VND30 million per month.

Besides economic benefits, the enterprise has also recorded significant environmental benefits. Particularly, after two years going along with cleaner production solutions the enterprise avoids discharging into the environment 3.7 tonnes of dioxide carbon, 1,300cu.m of waste-water and 10,800kg of chemicals each year.

As regards to the efficiency the cleaner production program has brought director Nguyen Truong Thien said besides economic or environmental benefits the cleaner production program brought the enterprises a lot more. Significantly, it helped the enterprise reaffirm its trademark and enhance prestige among domestic and foreign customers. Therefore, even when the program is completed, the enterprise will continue these solutions to maintain and further promote the attainments, said the director./.