US-AEP has engaged the U.S. National Academy of Engineering (NAE) to evaluate the use of industrial environmental performance indicators to guide business strategies and government development and environmental policies. Worldwide interest in environmental performance measurement and evaluation, as gauged by measures such as pollution intensity per unit of output, has accelerated in recent years since the 1992 earth summit in Rio endorsed the concept of eco-efficiency as a important way for businesses to contribute to sustainable development. US-AEP has offered the NAE study as part of the U.S. contribution to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Cleaner Production Strategy. Under its agreement with US-AEP, the NAE will share its findings with the other APEC members at a U.S.-hosted international conference in 1998. Additional information on the NAE activity can be obtained from John Butler, US-AEP Director of Policy and Framework Affairs.

Annual hazardous waste generation in India is estimated at 4-6 metric tonnes, industrial waste of 94 million tonnes, and municipal waste of 22 million tonnes. Responding to government of India legislation to treat this waste, Kumbla P. Shenoy, Vice President of Kanoria Industries Limited (India) participated in a US-AEP exchange to investigate the possibility of using cement kilns for the disposal of hazardous and toxic wastes. India is the world's fourth largest manufacturer of cement and has plentiful venues in which to apply this new approach. The technology, which currently is not in use in India, involves retrofittng existing rotary cement kilns and reducing coal as the primary fuel source. After Shenoy s visit to Systech Environmental Corporation (Xenia, Ohio), Cadence Environmental Energy, Inc. (Michigan City, Indiana), Marisol, Inc. (Middlesex, New Jersey), and Ash Grove Cement Company, (Chanute, Kansas) in January 1997, he was convinced that cement kilns " offer a safe, convenient, and cost-effective" method for hazardous waste disposal. The company is now surveying industrial sites in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala and completing a feasibility study with the assistance of U.S. company representatives. Sales potential for U.S. firms is estimated to be $500,000 per cement kiln, in addition to the continuous monitoring equipment and retro-fitting of the cement kiln. US-AEP s Environmental Exchange Program is managed by the Institute of International Education.

Cleanaway Taiwan Limited turned to US-AEP/Taiwan for help on finding technology to handle the company s hazardous wastes. Because there is no appropriate technology available in Taiwan to handle the specific type of hazardous waste, USAEP/Taiwan worked with the Taiwan and U.S. Environmental Protection Agencies to obtain permission to ship the waste to the United States for processing. As a result, Chemical Waste Management, Inc. (California) has been awarded a two-year contract at $1 million per year to neutralize the hazardous wastes. This sale opens up other markets for U.S. companies with hazardous waste neutralization technologies and processes that aren't available in Asia.

The Punjab-Haryana-Delhi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, with the assistance of Kevin Bricknell, Director of USAEP Technology Cooperation, New Delhi, India, conducted a workshop on "Environmental Management Systems: The Competitive Advantage." Bricknell provided the opening remarks for the one-day event, held in New Delhi April 22, 1997. TK Nair, Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests, was the guest of honor and spoke on the need for private sector initiatives to achieve environmental protection. John Mapes, consultant to USAEP, made a presentation on the U.S. experience with environmental management systems and the status of ISO 14000 in Asia. The workshop was attended by representatives from industry, government, and research institutions.

Clean Technology: A Viable Option was the theme of a seminar held April 17, 1997, at the Food Terminal Inc. industrial park in the Philippines. Sponsored by The Asia Foundation and the Rotary Club of Makati Salcedo, the event brought together 70 officials from industries located in the park. US-AEP/Philippines Tech Rep, Alma Madrazo, presented the vision of US-AEP and how the program can assist industries and governments in achieving their clean technology goals. Gerry Sanders, Program Manager for US-AEP s Clean Technology and Environmental Management initiative, explained the economic practicality of integrating clean technology in management and planning operations. Based on numerous inquiries from participants, Madrazo and Sanders saw the event as the start of a new partnership for a cleaner environment in the Philippines.

Two environmental firms, Will Burt Co. and Bjjam Environmental, were among the 18- companies participating in a two-day Ohio business mission to Korea in March. US- AEP Tech Rep Chi-Sun Lee arranged for Will-Burt, manufacturers of a small capacity incineration system, to meet with five interested local companies. For Bjjam, Lee was able to set up meetings with eleven Korean parties. The Ohio delegation was also hosted at a U.S. embassy reception where they had a chance to meet with a larger number of Korean representatives. Lee is now providing guidance and counseling to facilitate the transfer of these U.S. environmental technologies.