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Thai
officials study water privatization in the United States.
The Kenan Institute Asia (KIAsia), US-AEP�s Environmental Exchange
Program (EEP), and the U.S. Department of Commerce recently teamed up to
present a water privatization study tour for several Thai senior officials.
The exchange, which was initiated by US-AEP�s Environmental Infrastructure
Representative in Thailand, Kitti Kumpeera, is a key part of a larger KIAsia
strategy to help the Thai government advance environmental infrastructure
privatization in the coming years.
In conjunction with the study tour, Mr. Chavalit Techapaibul, chairman of
the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration�s Wastewater Privitization Task
Force and board member of the Metropolitan Water Authority, received funding
to attend several events in the United States. From September 30-October 2,
he and two other Thai participants attended the 7th Annual World Economic
Development Congress on Water Supply and Wastewater in Washington, D.C.
While in Washington, the Thai delegates also participated in a senior-level
roundtable on wastewater privatization, along with Jeremy Hagger of the
US-AEP Secretariat. Carlos Montoulieu, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of
Environmental Technologies Exports at the U.S. Department of Commerce,
opened the event.
In addition, the study tour brought several Thai delegates to the Water
Environment Federation�s annual meeting, WEFTEC, in Orlando, Florida, in
early October. This group participated in site visits to state-of-the-art
U.S. wastewater treatment facilities, as well as a working group roundtable
meeting that enabled them to learn more about wastewater privatization
planning. Mr. Jeremy Hagger represented US-AEP, while Mr. Montoulieu
moderated the session. U.S. companies were on hand to share their experience
in planning and implementing wastewater projects. Look for outcomes of the
study tour in a future edition of UPDATE. (Note: US-AEP�s Environmental
Exchange Program is managed by the Institute of International Education.)
US-AEP plays key role at UNEP cleaner production conference.
More than 200 delegates from 50 countries attended the United Nations
Environment Program�s (UNEP) Fifth International High-level Seminar on
Cleaner Production, held September 29-October 1 in Seoul, Korea. Pushing for
increased collaboration and synergy with other leading cleaner production
programs around the world, US-AEP�s Clean Technology and Environmental
Management (CTEM) program played a key role at the conference by helping to
design, chair, and participate in several sessions. On the invitation of
UNEP, CTEM�s Conchita Silva chaired the Asian Industry/Trade Association
session, which promoted commitment to environmental management in Asia and
provided information on US-AEP and UNEP sustainable development initiatives.
Ms. Silva also coordinated the Supply Chain Environmental Management (SCEM)
session, which focused on the current status of SCEM and future
possibilities, such as global coordination options and potential roles for
national governments and international organizations. In addition, Ms. Silva
participated in UNEP�s parallel session on Coordinating Regional Cleaner
Production Events. This activity enabled officers of national pollution
prevention roundtables in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines to share
the experience of establishing their respective organizations. These three
countries have launched roundtables in the past two years with support
through US-AEP partner, the U.S. National Pollution Prevention Roundtable.
Note: UNEP�s International Declaration on Cleaner Production
was launched in Korea this month. Mitsubishi, Samsung, and San Miguel were
among the first 49 organizations to sign the declaration, along with 13
government officials from China, Indonesia, Korea, Thailand, the UK, and
Norway. US-AEP will also be a signatory to the declaration.
Indonesian NGO uses US-AEP grant to "green" hotels in Bali.
Over the past year, the Wisnu Foundation�a nongovernmental organization
(NGO) in Indonesia�used a US-AEP NGO-Business Environmental Partnership
grant to develop an integrated solid waste management program for resort
hotels on the island of Bali, Indonesia. Wisnu worked with a private waste
hauler to regularize a previously haphazard and ineffective solid waste
collection system, as well as to develop an accountable system for waste
management and onward recycling. While only three hotels participated in
these activities, seven additional hotels have now expressed interest, and
four of them are already implementing waste management programs. The local
waste hauler has expanded its operation from three to nine hotels, and Wisnu
is now ready to duplicate the managed recycling facility to other areas on
Bali. Wisnu has also prepared and introduced a handbook on best management
practices for hotels to promote "green awareness" within the local tourism
industry. The NGO has become a major consultant to BAPEDAL, the Indonesian
environmental impact agency, and is contributing to the agency�s efforts to
develop an eco-hotel rating system similar to BAPEDAL's industrial
performance rating system, PROPER, which is also supported by USAEP. (Note:
US-AEP�s NGO-Business Environmental Partnership is managed by The Asia
Foundation.)
Singapore conference explores strategic use of water in industry.
On October 9, the Singapore Confederation of Industries (SCI)�supported
by US-AEP�s Clean Technology and Environmental Management (CTEM)
program�held a water use strategy conference for Asian firms. Funding
provided by the Singapore Public Utilities Board (PUB) and Environmental
Technology Institute (ETI) ensured a successful conference, with more than
140 participating Asian companies representing a wide range of industry
sectors--from electronics and petrochemical manufacturers to water treatment
and recycling providers. Participants gathered to hear policy papers by PUB,
the Singapore Ministry of the Environment, and the Singapore Economic
Development Board, as well as papers on global trends in water recycling by
U.S. firms Ionics Inc. and ETI. Electronics and chemical/petrochemical
companies participated in breakout sessions, while other participants toured
the exhibition to review technologies available from US Filter; Ionics;
Glegg, Hager & Elsasser; Nikko Denko; and Pureland International. In
addition, STMicroelectronics exhibited a highly successful water recycling
project in use at its Singapore wafer fabrication plant.
In his opening address, SCI Vice President Edwin Khew encouraged Asian
companies to improve their environmental management systems. "The savings
will repay the industries' investment in water-recycling plants within a
short period of time and improve on cost of operation thereafter," he said. |
