Clean technology investments in
Sri Lanka improve quality of life.
USAID/Sri Lanka's Community Based Resource Management project and US-AEP
are working in close collaboration to improve the quality of life for the
small village of Dandeniya Watte. Nearly 200 families live in shanty houses
beside Bolgoda Lake with no sewerage facilities, water, electricity, or
roads. In addition, the lake is highly polluted due, in part, to the
accumulation of saw dust and wood waste from the wood-based industries in
the area. Both the lake and water are also polluted as a result of the brick
industry. Investors in the wood and brick industries could provide
employment to the villagers and materials for housing, while reducing the
severity of the pollution by using cleaner technologies. Last year, US-AEP
sponsored an interested investor, Gamini Ramasinge, Chairman and Managing
Director of Malindu Timber (Pvt.), to attend a wood by-products and
substitutes group exchange organized through US-AEP's
Nepal seeks cleaner cities with
help of U.S. technology.
Americorp Environmental Services Group, Inc, a U.S. company
based in California, signed letters of intent with three of
Nepal's largest cities'Kathmandu, Biratnagar, and Lalitpur'to establish
complete waste management systems for each city. At a January 22 press
conference, hosted in Nepal by U.S. Ambassador Sandra Volgelgesang,
executives from Americorp stated that the company would provide
state-of-the-art materials recovery facilities, composting facilities, and
modern composite-lined landfills that will be operated in accordance with
U.S. guidelines. The mayors of Kathmandu and Lalitpur both attended the
gathering and reiterated their commitment to develop clean and healthy
cities with the help of U.S. technology. The value of the projects is
estimated at $6 million and Americorp anticipates the letters will be
converted to actual contracts within the weeks ahead.
India exchanges spur new hazwaste
activities.
US-AEP, in conjunction with USAID/India's Trade in Environmental Services
and Technology (TEST) project, organized an exchange for six Indian
government and industry officials in the hazardous waste management sector.
The demand for hazardous waste technology in India is increasing because of
new regulatory pressures and judicial enforcement from the Environment
Ministry. The exchange, held October 14-25, provided the Indian delegation
with opportunities to observe and learn the means through which U.S.
companies manage hazardous waste treatment and disposal. Also integrated
into the program were visits to the HazWaste World - Superfund XVII
Conference, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), and several
private and public U.S. firms. As a result, an agreement was reached by
India's National Productivity Council (NPC) and the International Technology
Corporation to collaborate on future hazardous waste projects as well as
jointly pursue World Bank funding for technology demonstrations in India.
NPC and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) have also requested
assistance for the reformulation of hazardous waste management regulation
and policy. In a more recent environmental business exchange, Cadence
Environmental hosted Kanoria Industries, Ltd. of Mumbai, India, and
demonstrated the incineration of hazardous waste through cement kilns. This
disposal system has a low capital cost and there are numerous existing
cement kilns in India which makes this a viable option. These exchanges were
arranged under the auspices US-AEP's
US-AEP sponsors Asian
participation at U.S. conferences.
Asian delegations from 10 countries and territories are currently being
organized to attend WasteExpo '97 (Atlanta, Georgia), May 19-23; Air and
Waste Management Association's Annual Meeting (Toronto, Ontario), June 8-13;
International Exposition for Food Processors (Las Vegas, Nevada), October
13-16; and the Water Environment Federation's WEFTEC '97 (Chicago,
Illinois), October 18-22. The delegates' itineraries will
include one-on-one meetings with U.S. industry leaders, site tours to local
facilities, visits to the trade show floor, and technical sessions.
Delegates are sponsored by US-AEP's Overseas Program Fund, which is managed
by the
CTEM Information Center requests.
US-AEP's Clean Technology and Environmental Management (CTEM) Information
Centers in Manila, Singapore, and Washington, DC, continue to respond to
varied requests from Asian businesses and partners. Kerith McFadden of the
Washington center created a packet on solid waste management for US-AEP
Technology and Infrastructure Representatives that focuses on source
reduction, pollution prevention, municipal solid waste, and recycling. The
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology requested information on
water distribution networks prior to visiting the Environmental Protection
Agency's New York City offices. Responding to requests from Sri Lanka and
the Philippines for information on industrial estate management,
McFadden provided numerous documents on sustainability, development and
strategic planning, zoning and environmental impact assessments, and solid
waste and wastewater treatment for industrial estates.
News you can use...
ISO 14000 online...the Global Environment & Technology Foundation (GETF)
and the American National Standards Institute are launching a web site
February 17 that will provide information on ISO 14000 international
environment management standards. The site is available by subscription and
includes national and international ISO 14000 news, training opportunities,
implementation modules, case studies, and an environmental management system
registered company database. 'ISO 14000 can save companies money, streamline
processes, and reduce regulatory headaches,' says Joe Cascio for GETF. For
more information, contact Richard Wagner at 212-642-4905 or visit the ISO
14000 web site at:
http://www.iso14000.org.
