Cleaner Production

Cleaner Production is defined as the continuous application of an

integrated, preventive, environmental strategy applied to processes,
products and services to increase overall efficiency and reduce risks to
humans and the environment

Aid and material for cleaning

Washing Fruit and Vegetables with Detergent

Agricultural pesticides do not come off with water alone (or farmers
would not use them). Luckily, just adding washing-up liquid (detergent)
to water and generously swishing the fruit or vegetables around for a
couple of minutes can often lift off much of the pesticide residue. (You
can test this by dipping organic grapes in water, and comparing this with
dipping pesticide-laden grapes in water, and then in soapy water. The
pesticide content is immediately obvious.)

Washing Fruit and Vegetables with Vinegar

Some people swear by vinegar, and use one part vinegar to three parts
water. This is great for removing bacteria, and may help break down
wax, too. The editors of Cooks Illustrated magazine tested this theory by
using four different methods to clean pears and apples: a vinegar and
water solution (3:1, water : vinegar), antibacterial liquid soap, scrubbing
with a stiff brush, and just using plain water. Not only did the vinegar
mixture work the best, it was far, far better when measured for bacteria --
it removed 98% of bacteria, compared to just under 85% for scrubbing.
The quickest way to do this at home is to keep a bottle of vinegar with a
spray-top -- just spray the fruit or vegetables with vinegar, then rinse
under a tap. If you've got longer to spare, leave fruit or vegetables
soaking for 10--20 minutes in a vinegar/water solution, then rinse.
Using a Commercial Fruit Cleaner

There are many commercial fruit cleaners available on the market, some
of which are made up of 100% natural produce – normally some form of
citric acid. These claim to remove wax, pesticides and 99.9% of bacteria
(including e.coli, salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, etc). If you avoid
the ammonia-based products, and opt for these natural ones, they are
safe, leave no smell or taste,

Super-cleaning of Fruit and Vegetable

You can opt for a simple detergent- or vinegar-based wash (see above),
or make a super-wash, using either of the following mixes:

 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of baking soda, 1 cup

(250ml) of water. Put the mixture in a spray-topped bottle. Spray
the fruit or vegetables, leave to sit for 5--10 minutes, then rinse
well.
 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons white vinegar (distilled
works best), 1 cup (250ml) water in a spray-topped bottle. Spray
the fruit or vegetables, wipe and eat.

For particularly waxy fruit or vegetables, try this mixture:

 1 cup (250ml) water, half a cup (115ml) vinegar, 1 tablespoon

baking soda and dash of grapefruit seed extract. Spray this onto
the produce and leave for an hour before rinsing and eating.

Peeling Fruit and Vegetables

This is often the best way to substantially reduce the pesticide load,
especially from apples, which are the most contaminated of all the fruits
and vegetables. Pears, nectarines and peaches can also be peeled, as
can many vegetables. Wash the fruit or vegetables well before peeling,
or you can transfer pesticides (or bacteria) to the peeled fruit or veg.
Discarding Outer Layers

Eat only the inner layers of produce that you won't be cooking, such as
lettuce and other salad vegetables (including onions). Discard the outer
layers, as these will have more pesticides on them from crop spraying.
Assume that the outside layer of any fruit or vegetable will have
absorbed most of the pesticides (though some will have also have been
absorbed from the soil), and wash/peel or discard these outer layers
whenever you can.

Why Focus on Cleaner Production for Mitigation?

Cleaner production is a preventive business strategy designed to

conserve resources, mitigate risks to humans and the environment, and
promote greater overall efficiency through improved production
techniques and technologies. Cleaner production methods may include:
• substituting different materials
• modifying processes
• upgrading equipment

Factor to be consider for effective cleaner production

Working conditions
Certain working conditions—excessive heat caused by operating
machinery, lack of ventilation, skin irritating acids from fruits—can
damage workers’ health. An unhealthy workforce may be unproductive,
miss work too often and make costly mistakes.

Strategies during cleaning

• Maintain safety equipment and reinforce safety training. Safety
measures may already be in place, but workers should be reminded
often; designate one person as the safety trainer and have that person
train others. Check existing safety equipment regularly, and replace
elements like dust filters frequently.
• Create a prevention strategy. Sometimes small changes such as
buying a face mask or rubber gloves can dramatically reduce
incidences of harm to workers. Find ways of preventing accidents.
 • Find ways of reducing harmful byproducts. For example, clean the
floors in between production cycles to get rid of excess dust, or
install drip trays to catch acidic fruit juice.
Spoilage
Certain structural features of buildings used in food processing may
lead to spoilage or contamination of the products. Such site or building
features include inadequate drainage or a lack of screens to keep out
insects/rodents. Increased spoilage causes more waste and less
profitability, while contamination may result in health problems for
consumers.
Selected strategies:
• Ensure that the building structure is secure not only from people but
also from animals. Screens should be placed over drains and
windows to keep out disease-carrying rodents and flies.
• Storage areas should be well-ventilated and large enough so that
excessive heat and moisture do not cause spoilage in fruits and
vegetables.

Solid Waste
Food processing creates substantial amounts of organic and inorganic
wastes. This can lead to increased waste disposal costs. In addition,
high volumes of land-filled or treated waste may place a greater strain on
limited land resources. Minimizing waste can save on the cost of
supplies and labour needed for waste disposal. Converting waste to
productive uses can provide an extra source of income.

Selected strategies:
• Re-use organic waste. Some organic waste such as vegetable
peelings can be used as animal fodder; other waste, such as the
fiber from palm kernel husks, can be used as fuel.
• Modify waste disposal to facilitate faster decomposition/breakdown
of organic material. Add layers of dirt and dry organic material to
waste pits, or spread waste over large areas of land. This type of
composting and “land spreading” can speed up decomposition and
quickly lowers waste volume. Ensure material does not attract
disease-carrying vectors including birds, rodents and insects.
• Minimize wastes by improving production processes. Identify and
change elements of production that may be inefficient or produce
excess waste. For example, improved techniques for cutting food
produce can reduce waste and yield more product.
Poorly maintained machinery
Machinery that leaks chemicals or fuel wastes energy, can contaminate
water supplies and may threaten workers’ health. Repairing leaks lowers
fuel costs and can prevent costly accidents such as fire. For dairy
processors, who use more machinery and refrigeration systems than
other food processors, reducing leakage can save money spent on
refrigerants and other chemicals.

Selected strategies:
• Schedule regular machine maintenance checks and repairs. Ensure
up-to-date training in operation and maintenance. Do not wait until
machinery is broken before checking it; leaks can occur long before
serious equipment breakdown and may be costing you money. If
possible and cost-effective, replace faulty machinery with more efficient
machinery.

• If machinery is difficult to access, then monitor wastes or emissions to

detect leaks. For example, check for puddles underneath machinery or
chemical/fuel smells.
• Use wood shavings, drop cloths and/or oil/water separators to catch
spills and leaks.
• If you are disposing of organic and chemical wastes separately, ensure
that chemical or fuel waste does not contaminate the organic waste.
• If it is not cost-effective to replace or to repair machinery, make sure
harmful effects are minimized. Increase ventilation around an machinery
that has high gas or chemical emissions

Water use
Food processing workers sometimes use too much water, usually when
cleaning equipment or food materials. This may not only cause others in
the community to have less water, but also diminish the enterprise’s own
future access to water. It may also mean that water costs are
unnecessarily high, even with use of a well. New wells may have to be
drilled more frequently as groundwater levels drop.
Selected strategies:
• Decrease water usage through “dry cleanup.” Dry cleanup involves
an initial cleaning without water (sweeping, wiping down) before
washing. This method reduces the amount of water required to
dislodge solid wastes from floors or machinery.
• Regulate water flow. Using high-pressure water hoses can ease
cleaning and cut water use; usually this only involves adding a new
nozzle to the end of a hose.
• Reuse water. Some food processors use steam to purify or clean
packaging materials; a closed-loop system can cycle hot water
back into the system. This process saves money on both water
and energy costs.

Liquid waste
Meat processing creates a good deal of liquid waste—wastewater with
blood or animal fats in it—that may coagulate and clog pipes, or
contaminate sources of water. Liquid wastes can also gather in stagnant
pools, creating breeding grounds for insects. These conditions may
cause costly losses in labor and meat from the spread of disease among
workers and animals.

Selected strategies:
• Practice water reduction strategies mentioned above, including "dry
cleanup," to minimize the amount of wastewater created and the amount
of waste materials in the wastewater.
• Separate fats, grease and solids from wastewater. Oil separators or oil
traps can be purchased or made at relatively low cost and can reduce
the amount oil in wastewater dramatically. Drain stagnant pools of liquid
or water away from holding pens and working areas.
• Consider constructing waste treatment ponds. Both solid and liquid
waste can be treated in these, which can aid decomposition and reduce
disposal costs. Since they may attract mosquitoes and other insects, site
such ponds away from animals and places of human activity.

Noises and odours

Food processing may result in noises or odors that affect the quality of
life surrounding the production site. Community members may be
unwilling to tolerate continued production or may block plans to expand
production in the future. Loud noises may also damage the ears of
workers and managers
Selected strategies:
• Locate waste disposal sites away from housing or town centers
• Modify waste disposal or production practices to minimize odors.
For example, if treating waste in lagoons or compost pits, make
sure they are large enough to accommodate the volume of waste
that is produced—if too small, the effectiveness of the treatment
decreases and smell increases.
• Provide earplugs for workers.
• Repair and maintain machinery so that excessive grinding or
squeaking is minimized. This may increase the machinery’s
efficiency and make it last longer.