Preliminary environmental diagnosis and pollution prevention opportunities at the Mayarí Ice Factory. Cuba

Abstract

The present work was carried out at the Mayarí ice cream factory with the objective of evaluating the environmental impacts generated and proposing Pollution Prevention Opportunities in this entity. Existing environmental problems were identified taking into account several aspects such as water, waste, noise, energy, etc., leaving existing problems as waste generation, water and energy consumption, generation of noise and gases. Impacting actions on the factors water, soil, atmosphere, human factor and socioeconomic factor were also evaluated through a matrix of importance. The most striking actions are liquid waste generation and water consumption, having a severe impact on the water factor. The other factors are moderately impacted in the order socioeconomic factor, human factor, atmosphere and soil. The evaluation of these impacts allowed the proposal and description of 14 Pollution Prevention Opportunities (PPO) with the objective of preventing the pollution that this industry contributes to the environment, for which the most impactful actions were taken into account. Of these, 10 PPOs are proposals based on these actions. The elaborated proposal serves as the basis for forming a sustainable organization that catalyzes the application of clean technologies in the productive sector, establishing the goals, and a plan of activities in the medium term.