Intimex Thanh Chuong Tapioca Starch Factory, under the INTIMEX Nghe An Import and Export Branch, specilizes in producing tapioca starch for domestic market and export. The factory was put into operation in 2004. The factory has 2 times increasing production, from 60 to 120 tons/day and to 180 tons/day. The factory now operates seasonally 8 months per year with total permanent workers of 280.
Before applying cleaner production, the factory had to face the problems of pollution of wastewater and solid waste. Some criteria in the wastewater after processes of washing tapioca, peeling, screening, settling, exceeded the Vietnamese Standards, i.e., BOB content exceeded 12.6 times in comparison with Vietnamese Standards No. 5945-2005 (column B), COD content exceeded 7.1 times, NH4+ content exceeded 31.5 times, S2 content exceeded 2.1 times, and SS content exceeded 4.66 times in comparison with the allowed limits. Moreover, the factory discharged 1,799 tons of peel and head waste, and 35,000 tons of dreg (85% of humidity) to the environment each year. This volume of waste also polluted the water source and caused bad smell, especially in sunny days.To solve these problem, the factory had supports from Cleaner Production Component in Industry of Ministry of Industry and Trade.
With the support from the local Department of Industry and Trade and from Vietnam Cleaner Production Center, in 2008, the factory started to carry out the cleaner production assessment. At the first stage (from November 2008 to April 2009), the factory established the cleaner production team led by Mr.Dang Hoai Nam - Deputy Director – and other 11 members to carry out the cleaner production assessment on the whole of the starch production line. 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.
After the assessment and the determination of improving solution options, the factory conducted some good house keeping options which required low cost and no cost and 02 equipment improvement options with the total investment of 1.4 billion dong. After stage 1, the factory obtained 368 million dong from the reduction of energy, materials, and labour. At stage 2, the factory took the initiative in big investment solutions to thoroughly solve the environmental problems, specifically investing 10 billion dong for constructing fertilizer making workshop from tapioca peel and heads; constructing dreg separating system combined with drying process; constructing wastewater treatment system combined with biogas producer for electricity generation. The financial benefits gained in 2010 by these solutions were 755 million by reduction of energy and material consumption, labour, and by biogas production (511 million dong). In 1st quarter in 2011, the company saved up 561 million dong.
Benefits brought in from cleaner production were detailed as in the following:
| Technical benefit | Economic benefit | Environmental benefit |
| Reduce from 11.2 to 27.8 kg tapioca/product unit | Saving 13 million dong | Reduction of solid wastes Reduction of waste water discharged to the environment Reduction of dust emitted to the air |
| Reduce 1% of packages/ product units | Saving 73 milllion dong |
The following is the typical cleaner production sollutions of the factory:
| No. | Option | Investment | Performance | CP technique |
| 1 | Control of impurities: soil, sand mixed in raw tapioca before purchasing | No cost | Improving the quality of input material | GH |
| 2 | Remove impurities in raw tapioca before put them into washing and peeling processes | No cost | GH | |
| 3 | Installing density balance to measure starch content in tapioca | No cost | GH | |
| 4 | Installing water meters at the production positions | Low cost | Controlling the volume of water use | GH |
| 5 | Reuse waste water from extraction process in washing process | Low cost | Using water economically | OR |
| 6 | Use these peel and heads waste to produce composite | 7.4 billion dong | Saving of 500 million dong/year | OR |
| 7 | Constructing residues separating system combined with drying process | 2.9 billion dong | Saving from 39 – 61 million dong/year | OR |
| 8 | Construct waste water treatment system to recover biogas for electricity generation | 800 million dong | Reducing emission to the environment | OR |
Remarks: GH: Good Housekeeping, 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 wastestreams. 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 aimes 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 wastewater 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 production companies in Vietnam./.