The Song Lam Paper Joint Stock Company produces export pulp, paper, paper equipment and chemical substances. At present, China, Chinese Taipei and Japan are the major exporters of the company. Like other paper production companies, the biggest environmental problem the company has faced is waste water from bamboo soaking, paper producing and machine, production facilities and drying ground cleaning. Waste water has dark brown color, terrible smell and contains toxic substances that have serious influences on workers' health and reduce their capacity. Especially, waste water contains a large amount of pulp which causes enormous material wastage.

Quynh said that since 2001, the company has applied cleaner production methods. However, because of lacking experiences, the first methods were very simple. The company used clean water from the Thanh Mountain to produce paper or saved water by utilizing vaporized water from drying furnaces to supply to boilers. These methods have still been maintained until now and brought many benefits to the company.

In 2009, under assistance of the Cleaner Production Component in Industry (the Component for Cleaner Production in Industry is a part of the Program of Development Cooperation in the Environment between the governments of Vietnam and Denmark for 2005-2010), the company invested VND720 million to apply 21 methods (mainly in the field of interior management) to effectively save energy, recycle waste water and utilize waste materials in waste water. For example, before, recycled paper and coal were put in the open air that has bad effects on paper and coal quality. To produce one tonne of Crap paper, 1.5-1.55 tonnes of materials are used. Therefore, the company decided to build a store house to contain recycled paper and coal. When being stored in the house, just 1.42-1.45 tonnes of recycled materials is used to produce one tonne of finished products. The store house has helped to reduce coal consumption and raise coal quality. In addition, the company has paid attention to propaganda about material conservation in production among workers.

Following simple methods, the company started to apply more complicated methods which require bigger investments. For example, to treat waste water, in 2009 a special system was applied to producing and grinding pulp. Thanks to the system, one 22kV water pump was reduced and all waste water was recycled. Especially, thanks to the waste water treatment system, lignin compound has been separated from waste water and a large amount of pulp in waste water has been withdrawn. Therefore, the company has reduced material wastage and untreated waste water eliminated to the environment.

One year after applying cleaner production methods, through reducing 36,000cu.m water supplying to production, 42,886kWh electricity, 287 tonnes of coal and 559 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2), the company saved more than VND500 million.

Quynh affirmed that thanks to effective cleaner production methods, the company has gained significant results in economy and the environmental protection, protected workers' health, guaranteed sustainable production, maintained the company’s prestige and attracted clients in difficult markets. In the coming time, the company will continue applying these methods to maintain economic and environmental achievements./.