Multimedia environmental audit in a rice cracker factory in Thailand: a model case study

This case study was conducted in a medium scale food-processing factory in Thailand. The factory, which manufactures rice crackers, faced serious problems in the operation of its effluent treatment plant (ETP). In order to solve this problem by reducing the waste generation at source, rather than retrofitting the ETP, this study was initiated using the waste audit approach advocated by the manual published by UNEP-UNIDO. The study also considered more comprehensive issues such as noise pollution, occupational safety (heat stress on workers) and multimedia aspects of waste generation (airborne emissions, solid waste). Thus, after conducting a thorough multimedia environmental audit, a number of avenues for improved integrated environmental management could be identified, leading to cleaner production. The study showed that by water reuse, waste segregation and solids recovery, water consumption could be reduced by 25%. BOD, COD, and SS loading of overall wastewater discharged to ETP could likewise be reduced, by around 20%, 25%, and 50% of the existing situation, respectively. This would in turn result in the more efficient operation of ETP, as well as economic benefits. Moreover, the comprehensive methodology adopted in this study could be proposed as a model methodology to conduct a multimedia environmental audit leading to cleaner production.