Pollution Reducing Opportunities for a Natural Rubber Processing Industry: A Case Study

Abstract

One of the problems associated with natural rubber processing is the environmental problems created by the use of large amounts of water, together with energy and chemicals that pollute the environment. An environmental innovation is considered as a strategy to address the environmental impacts better than a conventional end-of-pipe treatment. This research aims to explore the opportunities of pollution prevention that have not been implemented yet in a natural rubber processing industry. This study used a Case Study approach on a small and exploratory scale, with data collected from interviews and observations. The results show that the environmental issues that are related to factory’s daily operation that consists of water usage, accumulation of unprocessed material, the use of ammonia and the use of inorganic fertilizer. Some preventive strategies to overcome the environmental issues namely: reuse of the wastewater, efficiency of water usage, material substitution, and good housekeeping. The results of this study suggest the recommendation to overcome some specific environmental issues of a particular natural rubber industry that could be an appropriate template for broader study.