Environmental Protection Agency

AGENCY STATUS

preparing and implementing a national

hydrometric programme;

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an

independent public body established in July 1993
under the Environmental Protection Agency Act,
1992. Its sponsor in Government is the Department
of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

drafting a National Allocation Plan for

greenhouse gas emissions allowance trading; the
establishment of a National Competent Authority
for the issuing of trading permits and allowances
to those covered by the scheme; the monitoring,
overseeing and verification of emissions from
participating companies; and the establishment
of a National Emissions Trading Registry;

The EPA is managed by a full time Executive Board

consisting of a Director General and four Directors.
Independence is assured through the selection
procedures for the Director General and Directors
and the freedom, as provided in the legislation, to act
on its own initiative. The assignment, under the
legislation, of direct responsibility for a wide range of
functions underpins this independence. Under
legislation, it is a specific offence to attempt to
influence the Agency, or anyone acting on its behalf,
in an improper manner.

and, under the Office of Environmental Enforcement,

established in 2003 and dedicated to the
implementation and enforcement of environmental
legislation in Ireland:

improving overall compliance with environmental

protection legislation in Ireland;

The Agency is assisted by an Advisory Committee of

twelve members, appointed by the Minister for the
Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

raising awareness about the importance of

enforcement of environmental protection
legislation in Ireland;

RESPONSIBILITIES

enforcing IPPC licences and Waste licences

issued by the EPA;

auditing and reporting on the performance of

local authorities in the discharge of their
environmental protection functions, including:

The EPA has a wide range of statutory duties and

powers under the Environmental Protection Act. In
addition, the capacity of the EPA in relation to
enforcement has been enhanced by powers
contained in the Protection of the Environment Act
2003. The main responsibilities of the EPA include
the following:

licensing large/complex industrial and other

processes with significant polluting potential;

monitoring environmental quality, including the

establishment of databases to which the public
have access;

publishing periodic reports on the state of the

environment;

promoting environmentally sound practices;

promoting and co-ordinating environmental

research;

licensing all significant waste disposal and

recovery activities, including landfills, and the
preparation of a national hazardous waste
management plan;

implementing a system of permitting for the

control of VOC emissions resulting from the
storage of significant quantities of petrol at
terminals;

implementing and enforcing the GMO

Regulations for the contained and deliberate
release of GMOs into the environment;

enforcement in respect of breaches of

waste permits,

taking action in relation to illegal dumping,

implementation of waste collection permits,

and

enforcement of producer responsibility

initiatives (for example, in the area of
packaging waste);

taking action against local authorities that are not

discharging their environmental protection
functions in an adequate manner;

prosecuting, or assisting local authorities to

prosecute, significant breaches of environmental
protection legislation, in a timely manner; and

assisting local authorities to improve their

environmental protection performance on a case
by case basis, through the establishment of an
enforcement network to promote information
exchange and best practice, and by the provision
of appropriate guidance.

Foreword
The EPA launched the Cleaner Greener Production Programme
(CGPP) in 2001 as a grant scheme to encourage Irish
organisations to implement cleaner greener practices The
programmes ethos is that prevention is better than cure.
Cleaner greener practices give rise to effective use of
resources and reduced costs. Other advantages include
increased competitiveness and the promotion of innovation.
There is an ever-increasing demand for environmentally sound
products and services in the EU and international markets and
as a result environment has become a marketing tool.
In this brochure, we aim to demonstrate what has been
achieved under phase 1 of the CGPP. Twenty-nine projects
were successfully completed and EPA is happy to have been
able to support these success stories. Many of the participant
organisations to date have found that not only are they being
environmentally friendly but also that they save money doing
so compared to prior work practices.
We hope that other businesses will learn from and build on
these success stories and that we will work towards CGPPs
tagline objective: Better Business in a Better Ireland.

Mary Kelly
Director General

Highlights and Lessons

With 29 organisations across a wide range of sectors, size, project type and location in the country, there are
numerous lessons for other companies. Some of the projects were capital intensive improvements to very specific
processes, others were small scale and focusing on achieving many minor changes with the help of staff. This report
presents only the headline projects in a particular organisation and many other improvements have taken place.
Only a sample of these numerous changes is provided below.

Old technologies were adapted and new technologies were developed

Tech Group Europe
CGPP2004/26
CBL Ltd.
CGPP2004/4

Tech Group installed lagging jackets and intelligent motor controllers on injection moulding
equipment, making considerable energy savings. The manufacturer of the equipment is now
offering this innovation to other companies.
CBL developed a new machine that significantly improves the recovery of meat from crab
processing. This new technology is now available to crab processing operators.

Service sector organisations can also benefit from cleaner greener production
Renvyle House Hotel
CGPP2004/20

Renvyle House Hotel, proving that you do not need to be big to benefit, undertook many different
small changes: in lighting, water use, waste segregation, avoidance of disposable materials
saving money and the environment.

RTE
CGPP2004/22

RTE put in place a systematic waste segregation and management system, laying the foundations
to introduce other improvements and to address the environmental impacts of their operations.

Companies can learn together for mutual gain

IFP Packaging Ltd and
Manders Inks Ltd
CGPP2004/11
Building Contractor
Training Network
CGPP2004/3

Manders, who manufacture inks, and IFP, a packaging company that uses these inks, together
developed water-based inks suitable for use on plastic packaging. This saved money, eliminated
solvent emissions and reduced safety risks.
Waterford Chamber of Commerce piloted the Value Green Construction Scheme with three
construction companies. By benchmarking their performance and introducing simple measures
such as better ordering and materials management, they reduced their costs and avoided waste
going to landfill.

Developing people: investing for the future

North Western
Health Board
CGPP2004/17
GMIT Letterfrack
CGPP2004/10

The NWHB undertook a major awareness raising and communication exercise at Sligo General
Hospital. They found staff were very receptive to learning, to making suggestions and
implementing changes to reduce waste generation and disposal.
The staff and students of the Furniture College in Letterfrack examined their activities and the
associated environmental impacts. Together they modified their courses and practices, integrating
environmental considerations into the design and manufacture of furniture.

Lessons from one may be applied to others

FDT Ltd.
CGPP2004/8

FDT, a project engineering company, piloted the use of membranes to recover caustic from
cleaning in place (CIP) solutions in the Diageo Brewery. This technology, now going to full-scale,
could be used on similar CIP applications in other industrial sectors.

NN Euroball Ltd.
CGPP2004/16

NN Euroball installed an evaporator so that they could recycle their purified wastewater back into
their factory, reducing their use of fresh water and reducing the costs of waste disposal. This
technology could be widely applied where there are dilute, inorganic waste streams.

Summary results from the Cleaner Greener Production Programme, Phase 1

If you cant measure its hard to manage

Glanbia
CGPP2004/9
Lakeland Dairies
CGPP2004/13

Glanbia introduced a monitoring and targeting system that provided user-defined reports in realtime allowing the setting of measurable targets and intervention if there were variances.
Lakeland installed acid dosing meters that allowed them to avoid mistakes, making substantial
savings and reducing effluent.

Do not patch a problem, get to the root cause and fix it

Tayto Ltd.
CGPP2004/25
Oran Precast Ltd
CGPP2004/19

Tayto expected that the major loss point for their cooking oil was to air. When they investigated
this, they realised losses were to water and associated with washing equipment. They avoided
unnecessary investment and converted a waste into a by-product.
Oran realised that the cause of errors in precast slab manufacture was the potential for human
error in marking out. They installed a computerised inking machine, directly linked to their design
software, thus reducing their error rate to zero and preventing this waste from going to landfill.

Product quality can benefit, as well as environment

Waterford Metal
Industries Ltd.
CGPP2004/28
Seaborn Ltd.
CGPP2004/23

Waterford Metal made major changes to their process, hugely reducing their emissions to sewer
and to air. Product quality improved as well as saving costs on raw materials and improving the
work and external environments.
Seaborn, a fish processing company in inner city Dublin, introduced an advanced smoking
system which has virtually eliminated nuisance emissions of smoke and fish odours to the
external environment. Product quality has proven to be enhanced as a result of introducing the
cleaner greener practices.

Business talking to business

What did the CGPP participants think?
Atlanfish
The reduction in water usage reduced charges and therefore boosted profits. Atlanfish has been able to
enhance its reputation among the local residents and local authority through publicity activities associated
with the project. The company is participating in the next phase of CGPP to reduce wastage of water,
energy and product.
Envirotech
CGPP allowed the progression of ideas from a bench study and some lab work to a full scale plant. We
hope to recover 100% of what was previously a waste. Involvement in the programme has impressed our
customers. We hope to be in a position going forward to recover a series of metallic and other wastes to
save on disposal costs.
Tayto
CGPP increased our awareness of environmental costs.gained approximately 40k per annum to date
with further savings to come when the full corrugated usage project is complete. Future actions include
continuation of the above project to achieve a total of 26% board usage reduction in the next 12 months.
We have spent an additional 50k on the project since the grant claim.
WMI
Emissions to sewer eliminated, emissions to air greatly reduced. Noise levels reduced. Product quality
improved. Neighbourhood reps have expressed delight. An adjacent development site fetched a price
that was unthinkable two years ago.

17

16

15

14

13

12

NUI Maynooth
& St. Patrick's
College Maynooth

North Western
Health Board

NN Euroball

Musgraves

Micro-Bio

Lakeland Dairies

Irish Sugar

On site waste reduction

Greening the University campus

Clean technology options Sligo General Hospital

The reduction of wastewater generation and

haul-off through re-use within the plant

Cleaner production Eco-Label feasibility for

'own-brand' products

Reduction of atmospheric and sewer emissions

incorporating re-use and conversion to product

A programme of improvement - reduction in

hydrochloric acid usage

Cleaner Beet Production

18

Oran Precast Ltd.

Environmental actions leading to increased
profitability at Renvyle House Hotel

19
Renvyle
House Hotel
The drive for a greener future

20

Ring-a-link

In depth review/analysis of waste management

in RTE

21
RTE

Reduce emissions from the production of

smoked fish

22

Seaborn

Upgrading of existing surface treatment plant by

the elimination of waste paint and solvent
emissions

23

SIAC Butlers Steel

Oil recovery, upcycling of by-product and

reduction in corrugated cardboard usage

24

Tayto

Minimisation of energy usage and waste

production in a contract manufacturing company

25

Tech Group

The reduction of solvent in tennis ball

manufacture from 30% to negligible quantities

26

Tretorn Sport

Reduction at source of fugitive emissions

incorporating flux chemical recycling and
heat recovery

27

Waterford Metal
Industries Ltd.

Production of Ethanol (96%) EP and approval for

use in Tinzaparin manufacture

28

Wexport

29

Summary results from the Cleaner Greener Production Programme, Phase 1

11

10

CGPP
2004/

Index
GMIT-Letterfrack

Glanbia

FDT

Envirotech

Cork County
Council

Connaught
Electronics Ltd.

CBL Ltd.

Building Contractor
Training Network

Atlanfish

Alert Packaging

Development of water based inks for

printing of bread and confectionary wrapping

The Furniture College Letterfrack Moving

towards Environmental Excellence

Energy reduction using monitoring and targeting

system

Pilot plant feasibility/case study on recovery and

re-use of spent (CIP) cleaning solutions

Recovery of nickel and iron from a waste stream

and evaluation of electrochemical methods for
cleaner production

Macroom-E: integrated business and

environment

Investigation and implementation of

environmental benefits and energy efficiency

Process for extracting edible crab meat from

bodies and legs often considered waste

Value Green Construction Scheme

Treatment of shellfish wastewater by membrane

filtration and recovery of proteins, salt and
upgrading through product development

Cleaning up our act

Project Title

Irish Flexible
Packaging/Manders
Coatings & Inks Irl

Organisation

to case studies
in this brochure

Chemicals

Fish

Food

Metals

Other

Printing

Best operating practice

Service

Chemical recovery

Energy efficiency

Improved technology

Membrane process

Metal recovery

Solvent substitution

Reduced packaging

Supply chain activities

Sustainable EMS

Transport efficiency

CLEANER PRODUCTION CATEGORY

Eco label

SECTOR CATEGORY

Construction

Waste recovery

Water efficiency

CGPP2004/1

CGPP2004/2

Cleaning up our act

Treatment of shellfish wastewater

by membrane filtration and recovery
of proteins, salt and upgrading
through product development

Alert Packaging Ltd.

IDA Bray Business Park
Kilruddery, Bray, Co Wicklow

Atlanfish Ltd.,
Station House, Carndonagh, Co. Donegal

Alert Packaging is a privately owned company specialising

in the manufacturing of bags and the printing and
laminating of packaging using solvent based inks. Its
clients are predominantly in the food processing sector.
Alert set out to reduce their losses of solvent and to
improve their management of waste materials. Solvents
were lost to evaporation during plant and equipment
cleaning processes; during decanting procedures; in
accidental spillages by plant personnel; and in evaporation
from open-top containers. Alert set out to achieve a
sealed process in handling the solvent containing inks.
They discussed the problem with their suppliers and
changed the packaging used for ink supply. Combining
this with changed cleaning procedures and modified ink
distribution to the presses, they achieved a solvent
reduction of 30%, exceeding their target of 20%.
Achieving improved waste management focused on
training the Alert Packaging workforce to implement a
number of new work practices and operating procedures.
Staff were trained to identify the different types of plastic
in use, and ensure they were segregated. Following their
changes in practice, Alert changed from landfilling all their
waste to diverting 79% of their waste from landfill,
avoiding landfill charges. In some cases, Alert were now
able to sell their waste.

Atlanfish Ltd. produces cooked shellfish and value added

seafood products and is now one of the largest crab
processing plants in Europe, accounting for about 30% of
the EU processed production.
This project piloted the use of a membrane process to
purify the wastewater from the crab cooking process. The
membranes allow salt and water to pass through them but
prevent larger particles from doing so.
The membranes produced a food grade concentrate,
retaining the majority of the proteins and flavour. This has
the potential for use as a crab flavouring or food
ingredients product. A clean permeate which can be reused in the cooking process thereby reducing the volume
of salt and water required.
The process also has the potential to reduce
environmental emissions to water from an average of 12.5
kg COD / tonne of product during the crab season to
around 4.4 kg COD / tonne of product. This represents a
reduction of around 65% on the average emissions. By
recycling the permeate from the membrane process 80%
of the water from each batch can be recycled along with
around 75% of the salt.
As well as evaluating the feasibility of the membrane
process, the company identified and quantified the
various waste streams and recommended possible
reduction and/or recycling options. Good housekeeping
and waste minimisation measures have enabled the
company to reduce its water consumption by
approximately 4% per kg of product. Additional measures
have been identified with the potential to reduce water
consumption by a further 10-20%.

Dispensing solvent from sealed drum

Untreated cook water (left), Concentrated cook

water (middle) and Treated permeate (right)

Summary results from the Cleaner Greener Production Programme, Phase 1

CGPP2004/3

CGPP2004/4

Increasing profits by
preventing and minimising
construction waste

Process for extracting edible crab

meat from bodies and legs often
considered waste

Waterford Chamber of Commerce

Georges Street, Waterford.

CBL SERVICES Ltd.

Karibu, Timoney, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary

Waterford Chamber of Commerce initiated a waste

prevention/minimisation pilot project, which was
specifically targeted at the construction sector, which is
one of the biggest generators of commercial waste.

CBL SERVICES Ltd. provide project engineering services

to the food industry. Previous achievements include
developing a fresh water separator to remove shell from
shucked mussels.

Three Waterford-based construction companies

participated in the Value Green Construction Scheme
(VGCS) pilot project. Each of these companies set out to
prevent/minimise on-site waste. They also set out to show
other construction companies how the implementation of
a green policy could help them to increase their profits,
reduce operating costs and enable them to pass on some
of the resultant cost savings to their clients.

This project set out to design and pilot a prototype system

to produce attractive, edible white crab meat from material
that has traditionally been dumped. Traditionally, only
white meat from claws was recovered which is about
7.5% of the live weight of crabs. As well as producing a
saleable product, other objectives included minimising
water use and floor space.

Over a period of nine months in 2002/2003, the VGCS

project team developed a series of systems, procedures
and plans aimed at increasing companies operating
profits by reducing on-site waste. The team identified
that over-ordering/excess delivery of building materials
was a common occurrence, with over-ordering/excess
delivery levels reaching up to 17.85% of the total materials
bill. Typically, industry waste costs are estimated at
between 5% and 10% of a construction companys overall
materials bill. The VGCS pilot project participants reduced
their waste bills by between 60,000 and 200,000 per
annum or 1-2% of turnover. The lessons that they learned
were incorporated into a step-by-step guide, which was
published in 2004 by Waterford Chamber of Commerce
and the Environmental Protection Agency. The project
findings clearly show that if construction companies
nationwide were to implement the various measures
recommended in the VGCS Step-by-Step Guide, the level
of savings achieved would total 115.65 million a year.

Pilot trials at two crab processing factories have

demonstrated that the Separator can recover over 50%
by weight from fresh brown crab body centres (purses) &
over 30% by weight of meat from legs, a yield of 11.5 %
of the live weight of crabs. This also resulted in clean
shell, except for some ligament, a potential source of the
natural polymer chitin as a by-product.
Potential payback on the machine is estimated to require
processing of 105 tonne of crab.

Machine cost
70,000

Output kg/hr of meat

80

Selling price of meat

5/kg

Saving in disposal of waste

80/tonne

Payback
65 days

Prototype system
Materials rescue in action

CGPP2004/5

CGPP2004/6

Investigation & implementation

of environmental benefits and
energy efficiency

Macroom-E integrated business

and environment

CEL
Dunmore Road, Tuam, Co. Galway

CEL is an Irish company, based in Tuam, Co. Galway, who

specialise in the design and manufacture of innovative
turnkey solutions for the automotive sector.
Returnable packaging was designed and tested to ensure
it satisfied customer requirements. Seven hundred
returnable boxes are now in a continuous loop between
Tuam and Poland, eliminating the need to purchase
cardboard boxes at an annual cost of 14,600. The return
on investment is 2.2 years. The returnable totes are
designed to be used 8 times a year for five years, and
similar packaging will be introduced for other products.
Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) was undertaken to compare the
environmental impact of the plastic and cardboard boxes.
This study showed a lower Eco Index when using
returnable packaging rather than non-returnable
cardboard
CEL has also undertaken an evaluation of a water based
coating to potentially eliminate a current coating with high
VOC content. The new coating has improved waste
reduction, lower odour and flammability and comparable
humidity protection. It is now undergoing customer
evaluation.

Development Section,
Cork County Council, County Hall, Cork.

The Cork County Council Development Section launched

the development of an innovative Environmental Industrial
Park in Macroom in 2002. The Macroom-E Integrated
Business and Environment project was established to
develop a programme in conjunction with the area
industrial base and the Environmental Industrial Park that
will facilitate the implementation of cleaner and greener
production practices over the coming years, and which
will foster, develop and integrate environmental
sustainability into business practices within Macroom
and its hinterland.
An integrated business and environment charter was
drawn up to establish the framework that a company or
organisation would need to apply to its management
systems in order to ensure the delivery of eco-effective
manufacturing processes and greener products. This
objective was achieved through research and through
compiling a special information pack designed to meet the
needs of SMEs.
The

information pack covered areas such as:

Eco-effective Manufacture
Design for Environment
Environmental Auditing
European Union Legislation
Environmental Metrics.

The tools were utilised by a range of companies in the

locality. Each participant companys performance has
been advanced in the common areas of Energy Efficiency
and Waste Management. This project has resulted in the
development and compilation of a transferable system of
integrated business and environment.

Macroom E charter

Shipping tote

Summary results from the Cleaner Greener Production Programme, Phase 1

CGPP2004/7

CGPP2004/8

Recovery of nickel and iron from

a waste stream and evaluation
of electrochemical methods
for cleaner production

Pilot plant feasibility/case study

on recovery and re-use of spent
(CIP) cleaning solutions

Envirotech
Ballycurreen Ind Est, Kinsale Road, Cork

Envirotech is an environmental solutions provider,

developing specific products or technologies for specific
customer needs.
In partnership with an industrial diamond manufacturer,
metal recovery technologies with wide application were
developed to improve environmental performance. The
existing diamond manufacturing process resulted in 25 m3
effluent per week containing 10% iron and 4% nickel.
These were precipitated in combination and the resulting
sludge exported for recovery. Envirotech devised a
process to separately recover the metals from the effluent.
Nickel is precipitated and may be re-used in the nickel
plating industry. The remaining iron solution may be used
in water treatment. The wastes have become valuable byproducts, and 200 tpa of lime will be saved.
They have also devised an electrochemical process to
replace 80% of the chemicals used in one step of
diamond manufacture. If fully implemented, it could
reduce lime consumption by a further 75 tpa and nitric
acid by 155 tpa, reducing effluent concentration, nitrate
production and processing time, therefore increasing
production throughput by possibly as much as 30%.
Envirotech have also developed electrochemical expertise
that is applicable to other sectors of the metal-processing
industry, converting wastes into products, benefiting both
the environment and the economy.

FDT Consulting Engineers and

Project Managers
First Floor, 170 Walkinstown Road, Dublin 12

FDT is a consultancy and project management company

who serve the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, healthcare,
environment and electronic industries.
The aim of this project was to evaluate the best available
technology for recovery and re-use of spent caustic
Clean In Place (CIP) cleaning solutions based on the use
of nanofiltration membranes.
The CIP process results in large volumes of effluent being
produced and disposed of each day. Pilot plant studies
carried out at the Diageo Brewery, Dundalk, proved that
caustic solution can be successfully filtered and recovered
for re-use using nanofiltration membranes. The results of
this study have provided FDT with a design basis for a
production scale membrane plant for part of the Diageo
Brewery. This proposed membrane plant will be able to
recover 90% of the caustic from the CIP process reducing
effluent. The estimated cost of installing this plant is over
100,000. However cost savings associated with reduced
caustic, water and steam usage for the purpose of heating
the CIP solution and reduced waste treatment means that
the plant would pay for itself in 3.4 years.
Overall this membrane technology has great potential for
replication in similar or other industries. In addition to
spent caustic, FDT have also proved the use of
membranes for the recovery of weak wort and trub (two
by-products of the brewing process), which may present
further material recovery opportunities.

Raw effluent and separated streams

Cleaning solution before and after membrane filtration

CGPP2004/9

CGPP2004/10

Energy reduction using

monitoring and targeting system

Improving environmental
performance at the Furniture
College, Letterfrack

Glanbia Meats
Carrig, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary

Glanbia Meats was formed from an amalgamation of

Avonmore and Waterford Co-Ops. The Glanbia plant in
Roscrea specialises in pig processing, providing pork and
bacon products for the Irish and international markets.
The overall aims of the project were to reduce energy and
water resource consumption per pig processed through
the use of a combined Monitoring and Targeting (M&T)
and Building Management System (BMS). Monitoring
equipment was installed throughout the plant in order to
accurately measure both electricity and water
consumption figures for various areas. These provided a
new insight into actual operations. Through the use of
customised automated report formats based on user
requirements, areas of high and irregular energy use were
identified. Water and electricity figures were compared
with similar figures from plants in Denmark and the
Netherlands. Production management staff were trained in
the use of the system, and given specific targets to
achieve. Performance against the targets was monitored
continuously with dedicated reporting both real time and
periodically. Variances were detected at an early stage
and best operating practices derived and implemented.
Senior management monitored the overall performance at
management team meetings through customised reports.
The project has achieved a reduction in water
consumption per pig processed of over 21% (exceeding
the target of 14% reduction) and almost 5% reduction in
electricity consumption per pig (matching the energy
reduction target). Irish values for benchmark performance
have now been derived and may be used in the sector.
The payback for the project was less than two years.

Water meter you can not control what you can not measure

10

The Furniture College

Letterfrack, Co. Galway

The Furniture College is an Educational Partnership

between Connemara West, a rural community
development organization, and the Galway-Mayo Institute
of Technology (GMIT). The College provides education and
training in furniture design, manufacturing, conservation
and restoration through four separate programmes.
Staff coordinated and managed this small-scale
investigative project in consultation with the external
project advisors, Aster Environmental Consultants Ltd.
The project team developed an environmental policy
statement with the overall goal of continuous improvement
and specifically set out to reduce energy usage and water
usage in every area of the colleges operations as well as
reduce the amount of waste generated on the site. A
range of operational practices within the college was
evaluated. Particular emphasis was placed on the
implementation of a series of continuous improvement
initiatives in waste minimisation, materials re-use,
materials recycling and energy conservation.
An estimated 1.5 tonnes of waste per year have been
diverted from waste through the reduction of material use,
segregation of materials for re-use, and the recycling of
MDF and other timber materials. As a result of the CGPP,
the College is moving towards the use of smaller scale
student projects that retain the educational and skills
learning element while saving raw materials. This will
result in a more efficient use of materials within the college
and reduce waste. Environmental considerations will be
integrated into the education of the students leading to a
widespread improvement in the sector in later years.

Materials segregated and labelled for reuse

Summary results from the Cleaner Greener Production Programme, Phase 1

CGPP2004/11

CGPP2004/12

Development of water-based
inks for printing of bread and
confectionary wrapping

Cleaner beet production

Irish Sugar Ltd.
Carlow.

Irish Flexible Packaging Ltd.

Carnew, Co Wicklow
Manders Coatings and Inks Ltd.
Dunsinea Works, Ashtown, Dublin 15

This project was a co-operative venture between Manders

Coating & Inks, Ltd., whose products include sheetfeed
inks, newspaper and publication inks, packaging inks, silk
screen inks and printers supplies and Irish Flexible
Packaging Ltd., which manufactures a range of materials
including printed waxed coated paper, polypropylene for
bread wraps and printed film for confectionery products.
The companies CGPP project teams worked together to
develop water-based inks for the film (polypropylene and
polyethylene) sector of the bread wrap and confectionery
market. Solvent-based printing presents a number of
hazards to human health and to the environment: global
warming, hazardous waste, potential fire and soil pollution.
The use of water-based inks eliminates all of the above
disadvantages. Traditionally however, water-based inks
have not been used for film wrap packaging; their use has
been limited to products that have a short shelf life. This is
because water-based ink did not adhere sufficiently well to
the film. The teams successfully developed new inks,
improved printing methods and graphic design techniques
appropriate to the new less polluting inks. Based on IFPs
experience of using water-based inks to print on paper,
the company believes that the cost of printing on
polypropylene film would be about 20% cheaper than if it
were to continue using solvent-based inks and has
reduced annual solvent emissions from its plant by 20
tonnes, in addition to avoiding the safety risks associated
with solvents.

Irish Sugar Ltd is the sole producer of sugar in Ireland.

Each year the company manufactures a total of 200,000
tonnes of sugar from 1,340,000 tonnes of sugar beet. This
root crop is grown under contract by 3,700 growers who
are mainly located in the South East of Ireland.
Irish Sugar Ltd undertook to design an information and
awareness campaign specifically aimed at reducing the
amount of soil attaching to the surface of sugar beet that
is delivered for processing to the companys sugar plant.
Each year, some 134,000 tonnes of soil are lost to Irish
farms in this way. A key objective of this project was to
bring about a 20% reduction in this figure; more
specifically, the project set out how to address the
problem at source. Irish Sugar also undertook to create
greater awareness of environmental issues among growers
as well as others involved in various aspects of the
production of sugar. In order to achieve these objectives
the company decided to produce a training video that
would demonstrate best practice across a range of
activities related to the cultivation and harvesting of sugar
beet. The video demonstrates how attention to detail in
both the growing and the harvesting of crops can lead to
very little soil being transported inadvertently. Reducing
this unnecessary carriage of soil saves energy, both in
transport and in removing the soil at the factory, as well as
conserving soil on the farm.

Cleaner loading prior to delivery

Printing wrap

11

CGPP2004/13

CGPP2004/14

A programme of improvement reduction in hydrochloric acid

usage in casein production

Reduction of atmospheric and

sewer emissions incorporating
re-use and conversion to product

Lakeland Dairies
Co-Operative Society Ltd.
Killeshandra, Co. Cavan

Micro-Bio (Ireland) Ltd.

Industrial Estate, Fermoy, Co. Cork.

Lakeland Dairies is Irelands second largest dairy

processing co-operative. It has an annual turnover in
excess of 411 million. The processing facility at
Killeshandra is involved in the production of UHT
products, casein and whey protein concentrate and in the
manufacture of ice cream.

Micro-Bio (Ireland) Ltd. is an Irish owned company based

in Fermoy, Co. Cork., which employs 28 people. The
company operates a continuous membrane cell
electrolysis plant and produces the products: Hydrochloric
Acid, Caustic Soda Liquor and Sodium Hypochlorite.

Acid casein manufacture at Lakeland Dairies Killeshandra

uses hydrochloric acid (HCl) to precipitate casein from the
skim milk. This project aimed to get a better
understanding of the usage of HCl acid in the process and
in order to reduce usage. Extensive laboratory trials were
carried out in order to observe and analyse the effect of
reducing HCl acid use on the processable condition of the
curd and on the finished product composition. It was
discovered that while acid inputs could be optimised there
was an associated casein protein loss. Further trails are
underway to understand this effect. The company
reviewed its operations to determine best operating
practices. Through changes in operations and improved
measuring systems, they reduced emissions from the UHT
plant to wastewater treatment by 30%. Improved
instrumentation reduced acid dosing mistakes and saved
65,000 per year in detergent usage. The CGPP team
carried out an intensive investigation of all product/water
Cleaning in Place (CIP) interfaces, with the aim of reducing
waste. Significant waste reduction has been achieved, and
this has proved to be very successful both in terms of
economic savings and in terms of its effect on staff
motivation and workplace morale.

Production efficiency was improved by converting waste

into products. Additional wet scrubber equipment was
installed to reduce Chlorine and Hydrochloric Acid
emissions allowing for conversion of the emissions to the
products Sodium Hypochlorite and Hydrochloric Acid. A
Chlorate decomposition system was installed to
decompose Sodium Chlorate by reaction with
Hydrochloric Acid. The reactants are converted to
Sodium Chloride, Chlorine gas and water. The Chlorine
gas is converted to the products as detailed above and
the Sodium Chloride solution is recycled. The main
elements of the system are: decomposer vessel, heat
exchanger, circulation pump and dosing pumps. The
system operates continuously and has been integrated
into existing operations. A conversion rate of 80% has
been achieved.
All equipment installed is operating satisfactorily and the
targeted reductions have been achieved leading to the
following projected annual reductions in sewer emissions:
Parameter

% Reduction

Volume
TDS
Chloride
Sulphate

53
76
80
87

Annual Tonnage
Reduction
10,000
1,000
650
25

The system operating costs are approximately matched by

the savings through additional recycling and additional
products made. In the course of the project opportunities
for further reductions in emissions and energy usage have
been evaluated with some projects already completed.

Extensive laboratory work was an important element of the project.

12

Summary results from the Cleaner Greener Production Programme, Phase 1

Chlorate Decomposer

CGPP2004/15

CGPP2004/16

Musgrave Group own-brand

Eco-label a feasibility study

Reduction of wastewater
generation through reuse
within the plant.

Musgrave SuperValu-Centra Ltd.

Tramore Rd., Cork, Ireland

Musgrave Group is Irelands largest grocery and food

distributor. The company operates a countrywide
distribution network, servicing 24% of the market in the
Republic of Ireland and 11% in Northern Ireland
representing a 20% share of the market on the island.
Musgrave is in partnership with independent retailers.
During this small-scale investigative project, Musgrave
Group examined the potential to have own-brand
products e.g. toilet-paper and kitchen roll registered to the
EU Eco-Label scheme. Furthermore, they have identified
a manufacturer in their list of suppliers that can
manufacture the products to the specifications required, at
a market-acceptable price for their consumers. The main
environmental impact of producing tissue-paper products
to the EU ecolabel specification is the reduction of
ecological damage related to the use of natural resources
by encouraging sustainable forestry management.
Specifically the main reductions in environmental impact
related to the production of the products in question will
be: a reduction in water pollution, air pollution, solid waste
and in the use of energy. Greening of the supply chain is a
major objective of the Musgrave Group Environmental
Charter over the next number of years. The company will
be liaising with suppliers over the next few years to try
and help them to improve their environmental performance
in the manufacture and supply of the products which
Musgrave Group trade.
Musgrave Group can provide a good example to the
supply chain by showing that they are serious about the
sustainability of "own-brand" products, and that the
achievement of producing sustainable produce for the
marketplace is: (a) not onerous, (b) repeatable, (c)
worthwhile, and (d) valuable to the marketplace.

NN Euroball Ireland Ltd.

Unit 4, Purcellsinch Industrial Estate,
Kilkenny

The NN Euroball plant, which is located in Kilkenny City, is

a European leader in the production of high-precision steel
balls, which are used in the manufacture of ball bearings.
Precision-steel balls and rollers are essential moving parts
of anti-friction bearings, which in turn are integral
components of all machinery with moving parts.
At the time of this CGPP project the production process
generated approximately 1,200 tonnes of hazardous
wastewater per annum. Ninety five per cent of this waste
stream was water with the remaining 5% consisting of
hazardous coolant and metal contaminants. The primary
aim of the CGPP project at NN Euroball was to utilise the
hazardous wastewater stream as a resource. This was
achieved by the installation of an evaporation unit which
recovered 90% of the wastewater generated at the plant
for re-use. It had the financial benefit of reducing
wastewater hauloff charges, saving the company an
estimated 162,000 in the first year alone, as well as
reducing water supply charges. A cost benefit analysis of
implementing this project shows the payback period for
the project to be 11 months and tests carried out by the
CGPP project team confirmed that the new evaporator
has the potential to be adapted for the processing of other
production-related waste streams at the plant. The
companys improved environmental performance is
perceived as a valuable marketing tool. This is because,
increasingly, supply-chain pressure in the automotive
industry demands greater environmental performances at
all stages in the life cycle of motor vehicle manufacture.
Cleaner production methods have enhanced NN Euroballs
image among stakeholders in particular among its
employees and investors.

Super-Valu Centra Kitchen Roll

Vacuum pump evaporator

13

CGPP2004/17

CGPP2004/18

Clean technology options

at Sligo General Hospital

Greening the university campus

NWHB,
Technical Services Department,
Waterfront House, Bridge Street, Sligo

The North Western Health Board provides health and

social services to a total population of approximately
212,000 people living in Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo and
West Cavan. It has in excess of 300 sites throughout
the region.
The board has two major general hospitals one based at
Letterkenny and the other based at Sligo. Sligo General,
where this project was based, provides full acute general
hospital services to a population of 110,000 people in the
Sligo, Leitrim, South Donegal and West Cavan area, The
Hospital also runs a school of nursing, and is a major
employer in the region. As a first step towards improving
the environmental performance of the North Western
Health Board (NWHB), Sligo General Hospital (SGH) has
developed a programme to reduce the volume of waste
sent to landfill, reduce resource use throughout the
hospital, incorporate green procurement principles into the
hospitals purchasing strategy, reduce some discharges of
wastewater to the public sewer and raise environmental
awareness among staff at all levels in the organisation.
The project team realised that in order to successfully
implement and manage a range of environmental
measures across an organisation it is important to involve
as many people as possible. It is also important to ensure
that they have the necessary information and skills. A coordinating group, representative of staff, was established
and an extensive communication programme undertaken.
This paid dividends in that water usage was reduced by
12%, and opportunities to achieve savings in energy use
and waste disposal were identified. It is proposed to apply
a similar programme to other sites within the NWHB.

Buildings Office
NUI Maynooth, Maynooth, Co. Kildare

NUI Maynooth is a rapidly expanding university in Dublins

outskirts. It was founded in 1910 from the established St
Patricks College. The university boasts a wide range of
facilities and an ever expanding campus.
The rapid growth of NUI Maynooth and St Patricks
College has resulted in increasing waste generation and
higher energy and water use. At the time of this project,
the college spent approximately 1 million annually on
electricity, gas, oil, water and waste disposal costs. The
CGPP has allowed NUI Maynooth to begin to assess and
minimise its environmental impacts through implementing
sustainable practices in the areas of energy, waste and
water management and involving staff and students
through awareness raising and training. The main features
of the project included monitoring and targeting,
implementing a recycling programme, establishing
Building Management System (BMS) linkup, installation of
water saving devices, developing a purchasing policy to
favour environmentally beneficial goods and services
where practicable and implementing an awareness
campaign for students and staff. Through this pilot
project on selected buildings the project has resulted in
annual savings of 134 tonnes of waste to landfill, 674
MWh energy equivalent, 385 tonnes of CO2 and 331 m3
of water. The CGPP programme has resulted in cost
savings of 280,000 as well as projected annual savings
of over 100,000. These improvements are expected to
be greater when cleaner greener production measures are
implemented throughout the whole campus.

Energy profile meter

Display during environmental awareness campaign

14

Summary results from the Cleaner Greener Production Programme, Phase 1

CGPP2004/19

CGPP2004/20

On site waste reduction

Environmental action leading

to increased profitability at
Renvyle House Hotel

Oran Precast Ltd.

Deerpark Industrial Estate
Oranmore, Co. Galway

Oran Precast Ltd is an indigenous SME supplying the

construction industry. The company manufactures many
precast items, which are normally used in the construction
of concrete frames, and among other things they
manufacture concrete floor slabs, commonly known as
hollowcore flooring.
The aim of the project was to reduce the amount of
incorrectly cut concrete slabs. At the start of the project
there was a high level of waste as a result of incorrect
marking of slabs. Prior to the implementation of this
project, concrete slabs were marked by hand for cutting
into correct lengths and to enable the flooring slabs to fit
around pipes and other projections on site. At that time it
was accepted that a percentage of slabs would be
rejected due to poor precision in marking for cutting.
Through this project Oran Precast implemented the use of
a bed plotter, which follows the casting machine and
automatically marks the slab with an ink spray. The data
for the bed plotter is directly down-loaded from the
drawing office PreCAD system. The direct link from the
CAD system to the bed plotter has eliminated human error
and resulted in zero marking defects. Through the
elimination of waste, production has improved by 20%
with a payback of less than one year. This will also have
positive environmental impacts, through reduced resource
consumption, reduced transportation and reduced waste
to landfill. The technique developed is suitable for any
activity that requires the marking out of flat objects.

Hollowcore flooring

Renvyle House Hotel

Connemara, Co. Galway

Renvyle House Hotel is a medium sized hotel located in

the tranquil reaches of the Renvyle Peninsula in
Connemara. The hotel provides 65 guest rooms, an award
winning restaurant, and has amenities including an
outdoor swimming pool and an 18-hole golf course set
alongside the sea and around a lake of ecological
importance. The hotel is a listed building on the National
Sites and Monuments record for Galway.
In a small-scale investigative project, the hotel
management team introduced a series of strategic waste,
energy and water conservation policies. They purchased a
variety of energy-saving items and equipment and through
a process of consultation and staff training, a range of
waste management and minimisation systems were put in
place. Waste going to landfill was reduced by 50%.
Disposable shampoo and conditioners miniatures for
guest bathrooms have been eliminated as a result of
switching to refillable dispensers. Electricity was saved
through the introduction of low energy bulbs, and water
was conserved by adapting the hotels toilet cisterns. The
use of re-usable linen napkins rather than disposable
paper napkins saved further costs. These improvements
were achieved through the combined efforts of staff,
following an extensive awareness programme.

Renvyle House Hotel

15

CGPP2004/21

CGPP2004/22

The drive for a greener future

In depth review of waste

management at R. T. E.

Ring a Link
Unit 2, Abbey Business Centre,
Abbey Street, Kilkenny

Carlow, Kilkenny and South Tipperary Rural Transport Ltd,

trading as Ring a Link, is based in Kilkenny City. The
company was established in August 2001 to address the
problem of inadequate public transport provision across
Kilkenny, Carlow and South Tipperary.
This Ring a Link CGPP project involved setting up a
car-pooling co-ordination centre using sophisticated ICT
systems. The geographical area to be serviced was to
include counties Carlow, Kilkenny and South Tipperary,
and Waterford City. In October 2002, the company
installed Mobirouter, an advanced ICT coordination
system. This system collates information on where the
participating commuters live; where they work; to where
they wish to travel; what times they wish to travel to and
from work and so on. The computer then matches this
information with a vehicle owner who is travelling in the
same direction on a regular basis and who has similar
timing requirements. The aims of the project are to
increase vehicle occupancy on commuting routes,
decrease fuel consumption, associated emissions, noise
pollution and the need for extensive parking areas. One
company agreed to promote the scheme to its employees.
Ring a Link learned that the administrative and marketing
requirements for this system were demanding, though the
benefits of using it were apparent.

R.T.E.
Donnybrook, Dublin 4.

RTE is the national broadcaster and produces quality radio

and television programmes. The headquarters is situated
in Montrose, Dublin 4. on a 32 acre site with
approximately 1300 staff including contract personnel.
RTE is committed to responsible waste and resources
management. As part of this commitment the
organisation undertook a small investigative project under
CGPP to review its waste management practices.
The purpose of the review was to identify waste
prevention and management opportunities on-site in
accordance with legal requirements and best practice.
Data was gathered on the type and source of waste, the
cost of managing waste currently generated on site and
existing waste management practices. Information was
gathered through desktop study, reviewing existing site
conditions, questionnaires and interviews.
The findings of this review have allowed RTE to develop a
comprehensive, formal waste management system from
which other review recommendations can be facilitated
and enabled the establishment of measurable targets.
Written waste prevention and management policies and
procedures have been produced in such a manner as to
provide the necessary level of control for the company in
this critical area. Any business activities undertaken by
RTE that have an environmental impact now have
environmental considerations incorporated into their
operational procedures.
The main lessons learned from this review were the
importance of setting up a formal infrastructure to deal
with change and the value of top management
commitment at the outset of any such review/change.

Dispatcher using the Mobirouter scheduling system.

16

Summary results from the Cleaner Greener Production Programme, Phase 1

CGPP2004/23

CGPP2004/24

Reduced emissions from the

production of smoked fish

Upgrading of existing
surface treatment plant by
the elimination of waste paint
and solvent emissions

Seaborn Ltd.
75-78 Cork Street, Dublin 8.

SIAC Butlers Steel Ltd.

Portarlington, Co. Laois

Seaborn Ltd. is a subsidiary of Hanlon Ltd., fish

processors, which was established in the inner city area of
Dublin in 1845. In the 1950s the company was founded
specifically for the production of smoked fish aimed at the
top end of the market. The company currently employs six
people for the production of vacuum packed smoked
salmon, trout and, on occasion, smoked mackerel, cod etc.
While the main customer base is in Dublin the company
exports much of its product to Europe and in 1969 became
one of the first winners of the Irish Export Award.
The company has introduced an advanced fish smoking
system that has virtually eliminated nuisance emissions of
smoke and fish odour to the external environment. The
system has also reduced the quantities of waste and
associated wastewaters generated compared to the
traditional smoking techniques previously employed. The
system was integrated into an overall improved approach
to environmental management and has consistently
demonstrated a high environmental performance combined
with enhanced product quality. Prior to the adoption of
cleaner production the company was seriously constrained
from expanding by the environmental sensitivity of its city
centre location. The improved environmental performance
achieved has reduced this constraint. While Seaborns use
of this clean technology is for the smoking of fish, the
system is entirely suitable for use in the production of a
wide range of smoked foods including meats, sausages,
poultry and cheeses. Use of this technology could enable
many value-added food manufacturers to operate in
locations such as industrial estates, where proximity to
neighbours would previously have presented a number of
difficulties particularly in relation to noise and odour.

SIAC Butlers Steel is a major supplier of structural steel to

the construction industry. It designs, fabricates and erects
the structural steel elements of buildings as diverse as
hotels, shopping centres, office blocks, leisure complexes
and manufacturing facilities.
All structural steel that passes through the Portarlington
plant is shot-blasted at the start of the fabrication
process. It is then treated with a coat of solvent-based
primer in order to prevent corrosion reforming during the
fabrication process. As this is an in-line process (i.e. the
steel is shot-blasted in line between the initial cutting and
preparation operation, and the welding and fabrication
section, and without any possibility of buffering the steel),
the drying time to touch dry must be 4.5 minutes or less.
The original objective of this project was to substantially
reduce the plants level of solvent emissions. Detailed
investigations and trials were conducted into applying
suitable water-based paints and into using two-pack
paints, mixed on a just-in-time basis. Extensive
consultations were had with suppliers to promote the
development and supply of suitable primers. Pending
introduction of the new paints, existing operating
practices were reviewed to achieve best practice, resulting
in a reduction of 15% of emissions for minimal cost.
These included measures such as assessing the detailed
need for priming at the planning stage and reducing overspraying at the operational stage.

New smoke house unit in-situ

showing walk through smoke
chamber for fish fillet racks

Shot-blasted and primed steel

17

CGPP2004/25

CGPP2004/26

Oil recovery, upcycling of

by-product and reduction in
corrugated cardboard usage

Minimisation of energy usage and

waste production in a contract
manufacturing company

Tayto Ltd.
Greencastle Road, Coolock, Dublin 17

Tech Group Europe,

Damastown Close,
Damastown Industrial Park, Mulhuddart, Dublin 15

Tayto is renowned for its crisps products and its range of

other snack products including Chipsticks, Mighty Munch,
Snax, Onion Rings and Waffles. It undertook a
programme to assess several improvements and to
enhance staff environmental awareness.
Several sources of waste were addressed in this project.
Tayto carried out a comprehensive examination of the root
causes of its loss of vegetable oil, used in cooking their
products. Contrary to their expectation that the major
losses were to air, they found that losses to water due to
equipment cleaning were most important. Additional
segregation and recovery steps were implemented: these
were aimed at recovering the oil, and a customer for the
recovered oil was identified. Waste oil is no longer
disposed of in either sewers or landfill. Moreover, the
company is now able to achieve a price of 144 per
tonne for recovered oil. Tayto assessed the packaging of
their products and have identified an ideal box that
would reduce board usage and protect the product. In
addition, the equipment required to automatically pack
this box was identified. New multi-packing equipment was
commissioned that reduces bag size, improves case fill
amounts and thereby reduces board usage. As part of the
preparation of potato slices for frying, they are first
washed in cold water to remove any starch. This starch is
then recovered from the water, using a centrifuge.
Previously the disposal of this material was a cost to
Tayto. After assessing their handling of this material, they
changed the packaging and identified a new market,
turning the cost into a revenue stream.

From front, old case, ideal case and new case

18

Tech Group Europe is one of the leading technical

moulders in Europe. The companys manufacturing
activities are predominantly focused on the medical device,
pharmaceutical and consumer electronic sectors. Tech
Group Europe employs aproximately 110 people and is
based in Mulhuddart in County Dublin.
The purpose of the project was to demonstrate
methodologies and practical solutions for reducing energy
usage and minimising waste production. Tech Group
Europe opted to minimise energy usage by installing
intelligent motor controllers (Optimisers) and barrel lagging
jackets on different types of injection moulding machines.
Installation of optimisers on motors of injection moulding
machines improved efficiency of machines, reduced energy
consumption, increased the lifespan of motors and
improved power factor correction. The average payback on
the installation of optimisers is 1.38 years. Tech Group has
also proved that fitting lagging jackets on the barrels of
injection moulding machines can significantly reduce
energy consumption. Installation of eight lagging jackets
saved the company 34,000 in the first year.
The company reduced scrap production by undertaking
scrap evaluation and by introducing a number of process
changes identified by cross-functional teams. In addition,
scrap plastic from the manufacture of medical device
components was diverted from landfill to a recycling facility
off site. Participation in this project proved to be a catalyst
for the introduction of additional CGPP improvements
within Tech Group Europe.

Permanent lagging jacket fitted to an injection moulding machine

Summary results from the Cleaner Greener Production Programme, Phase 1

CGPP2004/27

CGPP2004/28

The reduction of solvent in

tennis ball manufacture from
30% to negligible quantities

Reduction at source of fugitive

emissions incorporating flux
chemical recycling and
heat recovery

Tretorn Sports Ltd.

PortLaoise, Co. Laoise

Tretorn Sports Ltd is the Irish subsidiary of the tennis ball

manufacturing multinational, and manufactures
pressureless tennis balls at its plant in Portlaoise. In early
2004, the plant and technology were purchased by Vega
Balls Manufacturing Ltd. One of the key factors that
contributed to the negotiation of a successful sale of the
Portlaoise plant was the adhesives technology that was
developed by the Tretorn CGPP project team. Vega hopes
to use this technology in its soccer ball and basketball
manufacturing process.
Having already succeeded in reducing its productionrelated solvent usage by 60-70% per annum, thereby
complying with its IPC license targets, Tretorn Sports Ltd
set out to achieve an almost 100% reduction in on-site
solvent usage. Solvent usage mainly occurs at the point in
the tennis ball manufacturing process where the felt pieces
are applied to the rubber core of the ball. The CGPP
project team set out to design an automated assembly
process that would replace the traditional solvent-based
adhesive with a thermoplastic rubber adhesive. The team
developed a hot-melt adhesive system that would be a
suitable replacement for the original solvent-based system,
eliminating on-site solvent usage. In addition, because the
new adhesive is a recyclable material, it will lead to
reduced demand for production-related material as well as
reduced on-site and off-site waste generation.
One of the most positive outcomes of this CGPP project
has been the realisation by hot-melt adhesive companies
that a significant proportion of solvent-based adhesive
processes across a range of industries could be replaced
by an alternative process i.e. a hot-melt adhesive system.

The final product: tennis balls

Waterford Metal Industries Ltd.

Gracedieu Road, Waterford

Waterford Metal Industries Ltd. is a private Irish company

that has operated from its Waterford City plant since 1949.
The original plant manufactured galvanised hollowware,
buckets, farm equipment and rainwater gutters. The
company now concentrates on contract galvanising for
others. The aim of this project was to eliminate fugitive
emissions to air and to sewer. The company designed a
new process that would include new handling methods, an
emphasis on clean product and on introducing the product
to the molten metal completely dry. It was also decided to
contain the entire pre-treatment process in a polyethylene
lined enclosure. The redesigned process requires that precleaning is carried out as a first step, before processing in
acid to remove smoke producing contaminants such as dirt
or oil picked up during steel fabrication. Fluxing is carried
out at a high temperature to ensure that the product rapidly
dries before dipping in the molten zinc. This eliminates the
formation of particulate zinc compounds. The more
effective fluxing now achieved prevents the formation of
zinc oxide giving a higher quality galvanised surface. The
absence of carried over dirt means no smoke is formed at
the molten metal surface and the surface is clear of
contaminants that might spoil the galvanised finish. The
combination of dry product and absence of dirt mean that
the emission to air is eliminated at source. Smoke that had
been accepted as a normal outcome of the process is
eliminated, improving air quality. Fugitive and presumed
uncontrollable emissions are now firmly and almost
effortlessly under control. The system has generated
savings in raw materials, improved productivity and also
improved galvanising quality.

Polypropylene process bath being lifted into position

19

CGPP2004/29
Production of ethanol (96%) EP
(European Pharmacopoeia) and
approval for use in the
Tinzaparin process
Wexport Ltd.
Little Island, Cork

Environmental Protection Agency 2006

Although every effort has been made to ensure the
accuracy of the material contained in this publication,
complete accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Neither the
Environmental Protection Agency nor the author(s)
accepts any responsibility whatsoever for loss or
damage occasioned, or claimed to have been
occasioned, in part or in full as a consequence of any
person acting or refraining from acting, as a result of a
matter contained in this publication.
All or part of this publication may be reproduced
without further permission, provided the source is
acknowledged.

Wexport Ltd., a subsidiary of LEO, was established in

Little Island in 1987. It is one of the largest bulk Heparin
producers in the world. Heparin is a naturally occurring
anticoagulant. Heparin is purified in Cork by a series of
chemical reactions, biochemical processes, filtration and
drying in a modern purpose built plant.
This small-scale investigative project involved examination
of different methods for the production of regenerated
ethanol with low volatile impurities so that it meets the EP
specification for ethanol. Initially a root cause analysis
was conducted to determine the origin of the impurities.
Laboratory experimental work demonstrated that it was
not possible to eliminate the impurities at source, which
was the preferred approach. Attention then turned to
various techniques to remove the impurities. Several
techniques were piloted before concluding that enhanced
distillation held the greatest promise. The project
demonstrated the key objective of better business
efficiency by conserving raw materials, lowering purchase
costs and minimising waste, reducing waste shipments
and lowering disposal costs.
The optimisation of the recovery process will continue
after CGPP, building on areas of opportunity identified
during the programme.

Distillation column

20

Summary results from the Cleaner Greener Production Programme, Phase 1

An Ghnomhaireacht um Chaomhn Comhshaoil

STDAS NA GNOMHAIREACHTA
Is comhlacht poibl neamhsplech an
Ghnomhaireacht um Chaomhn Comhshaoil (EPA) a
bunaodh i m Iil 1993 faoin Acht fn
nGnomhaireacht um Chaomhn Comhshaoil, 1992.
thaobh an Rialtais, is an Roinn Comhshaoil agus
Rialtais itiil a dhanann urraocht uirthi.
Danann Bord Feidhmeach lnaimseartha
comhdhanta dArd-Stirthir agus ceathrar
Stirthir bainistocht ar an EPA. Cinnttear
neamhsplechas tr nsanna imeachta roghnaithe i
gcs an Ard-Stirthra agus na Stirthir agus an
tsaoirse, de rir mar a sholthratear sa reachtaocht,
gnomh as a stuaim fin. T an sannadh, faoin
reachtaocht, maidir le freagracht dhreach as rimse
leathan feidhmeanna mar bhonn taca ag an
neamhsplechas sin. Faoin reachtaocht, is cion
sainiil iarracht a dhanamh tionchar a imirt ar an
Ghnomhaireacht, n ar aon duine a bhonn ag
gnomh thar ceann na Gnomhaireachta, ar bhealach
mchu.
Cuidonn Coiste Comhairleach ar a bhfuil dh
chomhalta dag arna gceapadh ag an Aire
Comhshaoil, Oidhreachta agus Rialtais itiil leis an
nGnomhaireacht.

rialachin GMO a chur i bhfeidhm agus a

fhorfheidhmi thaobh GMOanna a choinneil
agus a scaoileadh amach sa chomhshaol in aon
turas;

clr hidrimadrach nisinta a ullmh agus a

chur i bhfeidhm;

dracht a chur le chile de Phlean Leithroinnte

Nisinta do thrdil lintas astaithe gis
ceaptha teasa; dars Innila Nisinta a bhun
le ceadanna trdla agus lintais a eisiint orthu
sid at cldaithe ag an scim; monatireacht,
largas, agus for maidir le hastuithe
chuideachta rannphirteacha; agus Clr Trdla
Astuithe Nisinta a bhun;

agus, faoin Oifig Forfheidhmichin Comhshaoil, a

bunaodh i 2003 agus at tiomanta as reachtaocht
comhshaoil a chur i bhfeidhm agus a fhorfheidhmi in
irinn;

feabhas a chur ar chomhlonadh reachtaocht

cosanta comhshaoil in irinn;

feasacht a ard maidir leis an tbhacht a

bhaineann le forfheidhmi i gcs reachtaochta
cosanta comhshaoil in irinn;

ceadnais IPPC agus ceadnais Dramhaola a

eisonn an EPA a fhorfheidhmi;

inichadh agus tuairisci ar fheidhmocht dars

itiil maidir lena bhfeidhmeanna cosanta
comhshaoil a chur ar bun, lena n-irtear:

FREAGRACHTA
T rimse leathan dualgas agus cumhachta reachtla
ag an EPA faoin Acht fn nGnomhaireacht um
Chaomhn Comhshaoil. Chomh maith leis sin, t
curtha le hacmhainn an EPA maidir le forfheidhmi le
cumhachta san Acht um Chaomhn an Chomhshaoil
2003. irtear orthu seo a leanas promhfhreagrachta
an EPA:

ceadn a dhanamh ar phrisis thionsclaocha

mhra/choimplascacha a bhfadfadh cumas
truaillithe suntasach a bheith ag baint leo;

monatireacht ar chaighden comhshaoil, lena

n-irtear bunachair shonra a bhun ar a mbeidh
rochtain ag an bpobal;

tuarasclacha trimhsila maidir le staid an

chomhshaoil a fhoilsi;

srchleachtais comhshaoil a chur chun cinn;

taighde comhshaoil a chur chun cinn agus a

chomhord;

gnomhaochta discartha dramhaola agus

aisghabhla suntasacha, lena n-irtear
lithreacha lonta taln a cheadn agus plean
bainistochta guaisdramhaola nisinta a ullmh;

cras a chur i bhfeidhm a cheadaonn rial

astaithe VOC a bhonn mar thoradh ar scaoileadh
GMOanna isteach sa chomhshaol in aon turas;

forfheidhmi maidir le ceadnais dramhaola

a shratear;

gnomh maidir le dumpil mhdhleathach;

ceadanna bailithe dramhaola a chur i

bhfeidhm, agus

tionscnaimh a bheidh mar fhreagracht ar an

tirgeoir a fhorfheidhmi (mar shampla, sa
rimse a bhaineann le dramhal paciste);

gnomh in aghaidh dars itiil nach bhfuil ag

comhlonadh a gcuid feidhmeanna cosanta
comhshaoil ar bhealach cu;

an dl a chur n cuidi le hdaris itila an dl a

chur thaobh shraithe suntasacha
reachtaochta cosanta comhshaoil ar bhealach
caoithiil; agus

cuidi le hdaris itila a gcuid feidhmocht

cosanta comhshaoil a fheabhs ar bhonn cs ar
chs, tr ghrasn forfheidhmithe a bhun le
malart eolais a chur chun cinn chomh maith le
srchleachtas, agus tr threoir chu a sholthar.

21

CLEANER GREENER
PRODUCTION IS
the application of integrated preventive environmental strategies
to processes, products and services to increase overall efficiency
and reduce risks to humans and the environment.

Production processes: conserving raw materials and energy,

eliminating toxic raw materials and reducing the quantity and
toxicity of all emissions and wastes
Products: reducing negative impacts along the life cycle of a
product, from raw materials extraction to its ultimate disposal.
Services: incorporating environmental concerns into designing
and delivering services.

new attitudes, better environmental management and evaluating

available technology options. We need to take good
environmental practice to the stage where it is an inherent part of
any business operation.

HOW IS CLEANER GREENER

PRODUCTION DIFFERENT?
Much of the current thinking on environmental protection focuses
on what to do with wastes and emissions after they have been
created. The goal of cleaner, greener production is to avoid
generating pollution in the first place.
This means:

Better efficiency
Better business
Better environmental protection
Lower costs
Less waste
Less emissions
Less resource consumption

The Irish Government, through the National Development Plan

2000 - 2006, has allocated funds to a programme for
Environmental Research, Technological Development and
Innovation (ERTDI).
The Department of the Environment and Local Government asked
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to run the CGPP as
part of the ERTDI programme. With the programme continuing to
2006 about 60 businesses will be supported to implement cleaner
greener production and to demonstrate their achievements to the
rest of Ireland.
The long-term goal is to ensure that cleaner, greener production
becomes the established norm in Ireland. The programme seeks
to promote environmentally friendly business through increased
resource productivity, waste reduction, recovery of materials,
improved efficiency in a product value chain, energy management
and a change of culture within organisations.
The programme aims are focussed on avoiding and preventing
adverse environmental impact rather than treating or cleaning up
afterwards. This approach brings better economic and
environmental efficiency.

PROGRAMME MANAGERS:
The Clean Technology Centre (CTC) at Cork Institute of
Technology was appointed to manage the programme in
association with OSullivan Public Relations Ltd and Energy
Transport Actions Ltd (ENTRAC).
The CTC was established in 1991 and is now nationally and
internationally regarded as a centre of excellence in cleaner
production, environmental management and eco-innovation
across a range of industrial sectors.

WHERE CAN I GET FURTHER INFORMATION?

This report summarises the outcomes of the projects conducted under Phase 1 of the Cleaner Greener Production
Programme. Individual detailed reports, authored by the companies involved and produced as part of the Cleaner Greener
Production Programme, are available from the Environmental Protection Agency.
Ms. Helen Walsh,
CGPP,
Environmental Protection Agency,
Richview, Clonskeagh Road, Dublin 14, Ireland.
Tel. 01 2680100 Fax. 01 2680199 Email. ertdi@epa.ie
Website

www.epa.ie

select link to cleaner production.

The Cleaner Greener Production Programme is financed by the Irish Government under the National Development Plan 2000-2006.
It is administered on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Printed with soy-based inks on 140gsm cyclus paper, made from 100% recycled de-inked post-consumer waste

CLEANER GREENER
PRODUCTION REQUIRES

WHY IS THE CLEANER GREENER

PRODUCTION PROGRAMME
BEING RUN?