Cleaner production was defined by UNEP as, “The continuous
application of an integrated environmental strategy to processes,
products and services to increase efficiency and reduce risks to
humans and the environment” (United Nations Environment
Programme, 2013). CP is a tool that assists a process or company
to minimise its environmental impact while working in conjunction
with ISO 14001 (Fresner, 1998).
The Danish Cooperation of Environment and Development
(DANCED) sponsored a three-year CP demonstration project in
2000 in the South African metal finishing industry. The aim of the
project was to demonstrate the implementation of cleaner production
technologies in the metal finishing industry and performance
of efficiency improvement, cost saving, and reduction of
environmental impact (Telukdarie et al., 2006). The project had
significant environmentalefinancial improvements for the companies’
involved. The project identified close circuiting the rinse
system by application of a low flow counter current rinse system to
reduce the generation of rinse wastewater (Telukdarie et al., 2006).