CLEANER PRODUCTION CASE STUDY:

THE CRUNCHY AND YUMMY FRIED PEANUT FACTORY

Due to movement restriction and social distancing practices cause by the Covid-
19 outbreak, this shall replace Final Project on Site Investigation

1.0 Background
Crunchy and Yummy Peanut Factory owned by Mr. Boon is situated in Kuala Kacang,
Perak, MALAYSIA. The industry makes deep salted fried peanuts. The product
was until recently sold only in the local market. Mr. Boon recently got an enquiry
from Germany to supply peanuts, which were found to go very well with Ginger
Ale. However, the importer has insisted that the company’s environmental
performance will have to be compatible with the best in the world. With a view to
improve the environmental performance and to cut down the losses, the company
has decided to launch a Cleaner Production (CP) Audit.

2.0 The Process

Shelled peanuts are produced in 50 kg jute bags. The bags are manually opened
and the peanuts are transferred to a daily storage hopper. The frying medium,
refined oil is procured in 15 kg tins and stored. Salt is procured in 100 kg bags.
The process consists of heating the oil in a large frying pan. The oil from the tin
is transferred manually to the frying pan. The pan holds 25 kg of oil per batch.

The heating is done by large LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) burners. After the oil
attains a temperature of 190oC, 10 kg of peanuts are fried with periodic churning.
The fried peanuts are removed and transferred to a tray. Requisite quantity of
salt is added to the peanuts and is thoroughly mixed. The peanuts are cooled and
packed in sizes of 100 g, 250 g, 500 g and 1000 g.

After a few batches of frying, during which make up oil is also added, the oil gets
contaminated with dirt, and broken and burnt peanuts. This oil is unloaded into
empty cans and disposed off as waste oil. After every unloading, the pan is washed
with soap and detergents, including several water rinses before the next batch
is started.

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3.0 The Data
After a lot of probing and questioning, Mr. Boon has given the following data:

i) Approximate quantity of make-up oil after 5 kg

every 5 batch

ii) Average quantity of peanuts fried everyday 500 kg

iii) Average quantity of salt used per batch 1 kg

iv) Average quantity of water consumed per day 5000 L

v) Average quantity of detergent used per day 0.5 kg

vi) Average number of packings per day 500

vii) Frequency of burnt oil removal and pan cleaning 10/20

done at the end of the day

4.0 The Tasks

Consider yourself as Environmental Executive working under Safety, Health and
Environmental (SHE) Unit in Mr. Boon’s factory. You have been asked by Mr. Boon
to launch a CP audit to meet the requirement of the potential client. Based on the
audit, you need to come out with a comprehensive report and brief presentation
containing not more than three (3) slides. The comprehensive report will be used
as the evidence of the company’s effort in improving its environmental
performance. In order to do so, you need to:

• Form a Cleaner Production team consist of two (2) internal auditors

• Prepare a process flow diagram
• Select the audit focus
• Prepare a simplified material and energy balances
• Identify sources of waste generation
• Identify causes of waste generation
• Suggest possible CP measures
• Describe in the report how CP may enhance the company’s environmental
performance (including complying with the relevant regulations) and
minimize operating cost

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 • Would having and environmental system (ES) in place would further help
the implementation of the CP effort? If so, give your justification for Mr.
Boon including benefits from the economic perspective.

Due date of the report: 31st May, 2020

Note: Make sure all the essential information is included in the report