(VEN) - With the motto "Safety - Quality - Responsibility", in 2008, the Thanh Vinh Coconut Processing Plant of the Luong Quoi Private Company in Ben Tre Province began to take part in the Cleaner Production in Industry (CPI) Component. The plant has achieved encouraging results in combining production and environmental protection.
The Thanh Vinh Coconut Processing Plant specializes in making coconut products such as dried coconut slices, coconut oil, and cooking oil processed from coconut. In August 2008, the plant adopted the CPI Component of the cooperation program between the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA). Cu Van Thanh, the director of the Luong Quoi Private Company, said, "The Thanh Vinh Coconut Processing Plant adopted the CPI Component to reduce production costs by using less materials and fuels during the production process, improving the quality of products and the working environment. The plant is combining production with environmental protection."
The plant has taken 15 solutions in two phases. In the first phase the plant invested VND126.5 million to take solutions that allowed it to gather evaporated steam for reuse during the production process. The plant has relocated steam valves to make it easier for workers to operate them. The lighting system has also been upgraded to be more efficient. All the manhole covers have been improved. Grinding machines are being used effectively. As a result of those solutions, the plant has reduced the amount of water it uses by 1.7cu.m and the amount of wastewater by 1.7cu.m for every tonne of product. The plant collects 50kg of waste coconut flesh every day for use as by-products. Each year, the profit it makes from using waste coconut flesh is VND21 million. Those solutions also allow the plant to reduce the amount of waste by 45kg per day, which equals 90 percent of the semi-finished products that are created during the drying process. At the same time, the plant can reduce the loss of rice husks by 95 percent during the transportation process.
In the second phase, the plant has adopted four solutions with the financial support of the CPI Component. The first solution was to gather all the steam that is created during the production process for reuse. All the pipes that are used to gather steam and water supply equipment are insulating to prevent heat loss. The plant has invested VND399 million in replacing all the old steam traps with steam-guards. This has allowed the plant to reduce rice husk consumption by 18.26 percent to make an annual profit of VND315 million.
The second solution of the second phase was to use coconut husks instead of rice husks to burn the steam furnace. This solution has allowed the Thanh Vinh Coconut Processing Plant to make a profit of VND1 billion each year and reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions into the environment.
Another important solution of the second phase was to build a wastewater treatment system. With this system, all the wastewater discharged from the plant is treated to become B-class wastewater before running to the wastewater treatment station of industrial parks in the region.
To provide customers with high-quality and safe products, the plant has upgraded its production facilities to ensure that they meet ISO 22000:2005 standards. With its efforts, the plant has contributed considerably to building the competitiveness of Vietnamese coconut products on the world market.
After nearly two years participating in the CPI Component, Mr. Thanh said, "We create clean products and consider environmental protection an important mission. Making international-standard coconut products, we are accelerating our integration into the world economy."
Phuong Lan
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