Environmental management options for skim rubber industry

Abstract

Natural rubber processing factories generate large amount of wastewater containing organic pollutants and various process chemicals. The effluents exhibit high BOD, COD, NH4+-N and suspended solid concentrations. The discharge of untreated effluents into streams or paddy fields result in the emission of obnoxious odour and low pH levels. The acidic effluent is found to cause damage to crops especially to paddy and coconut. Except for a few, most rubber processing factories do not treat the effluent prior to disposal due to high capital and recurrent costs involved for end of the pipe treatment. Therefore sustainable environmental management dictates the adoption of Cleaner Production (CP) strategies to meet environmental regulations and reduce treatment costs.