{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,3]],"date-time":"2026-03-03T04:27:16Z","timestamp":1772512036730,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":60,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,3,3]],"date-time":"2022-03-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1646265600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sustainability"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The purpose of this study is to evaluate the economic and environmental gains that result from the implementation of cleaner production in a small enterprise (SE) from the metal and mechanics industry, allowing for overcoming barriers and contributing to sustainable development goals. The research work builds on a case study that involved several data sources, including semi structured interviewing and non-participant observation. Data analysis involved the calculation of mass balance, building solid and liquid waste that were minimized in the process. The results suggest that cleaner production led to economic gains, by allowing for reduction in losses and promoting a better use of raw materials. It also led to environmental improvements by means of the implementation of a wastewater treatment station that allowed for the reuse of water in the manufacturing process. It was concluded that the economic gain in the project played a determinant role for the SE to overcome the barriers for the implementation of CP and leading to the reduction of the environmental impact in the abiotic, biotic, water and air compartments, as estimated with the Mass Intensity Factor. The study offers a timely and relevant contribution for the literature in the field, while offering insights for o managerial practice, and the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals defined by the United Nations Development Program.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/su14052944","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,3,3]],"date-time":"2022-03-03T20:36:30Z","timestamp":1646339790000},"page":"2944","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":16,"title":["Overcoming Barriers to the Implementation of Cleaner Production in Small Enterprises in the Mechanics Industry: Exploring Economic Gains and Contributions for Sustainable Development Goals"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4744-3963","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Geraldo Cardoso de Oliveira","family":"Neto","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Industrial Engineering Post-Graduation Program, Universidade Nove de Julho (UNINOVE), Sao Paulo 01504-001, Brazil"},{"name":"GOVCOPP, Unidade de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o em Governan\u00e7a, Competitividade e Pol\u00edticas P\u00fablicas, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"},{"name":"DEGEIT, Departamento de Economia, Gest\u00e3o, Engenharia Industrial e Turismo, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Roberto Rodrigues","family":"Leite","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Industrial Engineering Post-Graduation Program, Universidade Nove de Julho (UNINOVE), Sao Paulo 01504-001, Brazil"},{"name":"Production Engineering Post-Graduation Graduation Program, Faculdades Metropolitanas Unidas (FMU), S\u00e3o Paulo 4020-050, Brazil"}]},{"given":"Wagner Cezar","family":"Lucato","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Industrial Engineering Post-Graduation Program, Universidade Nove de Julho (UNINOVE), Sao Paulo 01504-001, Brazil"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8265-0231","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rosangela Maria","family":"Vanalle","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Industrial Engineering Post-Graduation Program, Universidade Nove de Julho (UNINOVE), Sao Paulo 01504-001, Brazil"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0901-0614","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marlene","family":"Amorim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"GOVCOPP, Unidade de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o em Governan\u00e7a, Competitividade e Pol\u00edticas P\u00fablicas, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"},{"name":"DEGEIT, Departamento de Economia, Gest\u00e3o, Engenharia Industrial e Turismo, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4329-6246","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jo\u00e3o Carlos Oliveira","family":"Matias","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"GOVCOPP, Unidade de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o em Governan\u00e7a, Competitividade e Pol\u00edticas P\u00fablicas, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"},{"name":"DEGEIT, Departamento de Economia, Gest\u00e3o, Engenharia Industrial e Turismo, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8062-7123","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Vikas","family":"Kumar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Bristol Business School, University of the West of England, Bristol BS16 1QY, UK"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,3,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"The European Commission (2016). 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