Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9801081104.A16153-0100000@lan.vita.org> Date: Thu, 8 Jan 1998 11:45:30 -0500 From: Dania Granados <mailto:granados@LAN.VITA.ORG> Subject: January Issue of DevelopNet News To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
mailto:@@@@@ @@@@@@ @@ @@ @@@@@@ @@ @@@@@ @@@@@@
mailto:@@ @@@ @@ @@ @@ @@ @@ @@ @@ @@ @@
mailto:@@ @@@ @@@@@@ @@ @@ @@@@@@ @@ @@ @@ @@@@@@
mailto:@@ @@@ @@ @@@@ @@ @@ @@ @@ @@
mailto:@@@@@ @@@@@@ @@ @@@@@@ @@@@@@ @@@@@ @@
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
mailto:@@ @@ @@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@ On-Line News and Views on
mailto:@@@ @@ @@ @@
mailto:@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@ @@ Technology Transfer in
mailto:@@ @@@ @@ @@
mailto:@@ @@ @@@@@@@ @@ International Development
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
mailto:@@@@@ @@@@ @@@@@@@@@@@ @@@@ @@ @@@@ @@@@@@@@@@@
mailto:@@@@@@ @@@@ @@@@ @@@@ @@@@ @@@@ @@@@
mailto:@@@@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@@@@
mailto:@@@@ @@@@@@ @@@@ @@@@@@@@@@@@@@ @@@@
mailto:@@@@ @@@@@ @@@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@ @@@@@ @@@@@@@@@@@
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
January 1998 Volume 8, No. 1
IN THIS ISSUE
FOCUS ON THE ENVIRONMENT
Waste Minimization: A Core Element in Eco-Efficient Industrial
Management
LITERATURE REVIEWS
Taking a Closer Look at Africa
ORGANIZATIONS
World Environment Center
VITA PROJECTS
NGOsat Network and the Internet
ANNOUNCEMENTS
NGO Strategies for Sustainable Development
Generational gap in development?
* * *
DevelopNet News is published monthly by Volunteers in
Technical Assistance (VITA) in Arlington, Virginia, USA. For
additional information, please see the end of this newsletter.
* * *
F o c u s o n t h e E n v i r o n m e n t
WASTE MINIMIZATION: A CORE ELEMENT IN ECO-EFFICIENT INDUSTRIAL
MANAGEMENT
Few of us deliberately waste money by paying too much for
clothes, a car, a TV or even a house. We shop around and find out
what things are worth and then buy what we consider to be good
value for our money. Why then, when we set out to manufacture
something do so many companies waste money?
Usually companies are quite good about not paying too much for
their raw materials or paying higher wages than necessary. But
when it comes to making sure that all the raw materials purchased
get turned into saleable product, or not using more electricity
or water than necessary, many companies are not so good. The
company that wastes the least resources will have the lowest cost
base and be more competitive in the marketplace than companies
that throw away unused raw materials, use too much water or waste
energy. This is called waste minimization.
Experience in the United States and other industrialized
countries has proven that in the long run, pollution prevention
through waste minimization and cleaner production is more
cost-effective and environmentally sound than traditional
"end-of-pipe" pollution control methods. Applying this experience
in other parts of the world also has shown that waste
minimization is a valuable tool for eco-efficient management of
industrial activities.
Industrial eco-efficiency means both economic and ecological
effectiveness obtained through the optimal use of all industrial
inputs: raw materials, energy, labor, and capital. In economic
terms, the incentive is to minimize losses incurred by discarding
processed or raw materials and from additional costs of waste
treatment or disposal and/or pollution fees imposed by regulatory
authorities. In ecological terms, the focus is to utilize
resources efficiently and lessen the negative environmental
impacts on workers, neighboring communities, and natural
resources. An absolutely eco-efficient production process would
generate no waste of any kind.
These principles are being introduced successfully in Central and
Eastern Europe, Latin America and Asia by the World Environment
Center (WEC) through a process of managing and institutionalizing
cultural change in traditional industry management, which is
based upon four important elements:
Waste Minimization Demonstration Projects
To many industrial managers, the idea of saving money by
preventing pollution at the source must be proven. Waste
minimization demonstration projects (WMDP) are a useful tool for
demonstrating the economic and environmental benefits of no-cost
and low-cost waste minimization projects at selected industrial
enterprises. Such demonstration projects illustrate to both
company management and plant personnel that the concept of waste
minimization -- eliminating or reducing pollution at the source
rather than after it becomes a waste -- can actually save money
while improving the environment. Features of a WMDP include
training of waste minimization teams formed by the enterprise,
financing of equipment and expert technical assistance for
project implementation, and dissemination of results to other
facilities and industries.
Waste Minimization Impact Projects
Utilizing the information and experience gained during
demonstration projects, waste minimization activities are
expanded into additional facilities and other branches of
industry by organizing and implementing waste minimization impact
projects (WMIP). For WMIP projects, support is provided in the
form of training of company staff and local consultants in waste
minimization methodology, short-term expert assistance, and
limited financing for equipment, as necessary.
Project Identification and Financing
A program for project identification and financing (PIAF)
provides assistance to industry in two primary ways. First, it
supports implementation of higher-cost waste minimization and
other environmental projects in need of financing. Second, it
facilitates preparation of financial packages for securing
capital in the commercial market. A successful PIAF program
matches credit-financing institutions with financially-sound
environmental projects at industrial facilities.
Pollution Prevention Centers
Establishment of local Pollution Prevention Centers (PPCs) is an
effective method of extending waste minimization programs
throughout industry. PPCs provide a central location for
technical assistance in the form of on-site consultant services,
workshops and seminars, library materials, and direct mailings of
published materials. By providing industries with needed
information and technical assistance on waste minimization and
other environmental programs, PPCs contribute to eco-efficient
industrial management in countries where they are established.
Waste Minimization Program Results and Experiences in Central and
Eastern Europe
Since 1993, the World Environment Center has implemented these
elements of industrial eco-efficiency in factories in Bulgaria,
the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland,
Romania, Slovakia and the Ukraine. In the first two years, a
total of 41 waste minimization demonstration projects and 146
waste minimization impact projects were completed at 88
participating companies. In addition, eleven PPCs have been
established throughout Central and Eastern Europe. With financial
support from the United States Agency for International
Development (USAID), the WEC program saved the 88 participating
companies about US $18.9 million in the first year. Because
savings of similar magnitude will continue in future years, the
economic benefits gained by the companies are more appropriately
expressed in terms of Net Present Value (NPV). Altogether, the
NPV of the economic benefits to participating companies has been
calculated at $82 million. This is based upon an average project
life of eight years, a money discount rate of five percent, and
an average corporate tax rate of 35 percent.
By decreasing the use of resources such as water, energy and raw
materials and by reducing the generation of waste materials, the
companies significantly improved their productivity,
environmental performance, and worker health and safety. Based on
currently available data, the program at the participating plants
prevented over 78,000 tons of pollutants from entering the
environment, and eliminated the generation of 1,530,000 cubic
meters of contaminated wastewater. Additional environmental
benefits associated with decreased water, energy, and raw
material usage also were realized.
To implement these projects, WEC contributed about $794,000 of
USAID funding for capital investment at the 88 participating
companies. Following adoption of the WEC waste minimization and
cleaner production philosophy and methodology, companies invested
an additional $3.59 million in various waste minimization
projects. The companies' contribution amounted to 81.9 percent of
the total program capital investment of $4.39 million.
Industrial sectors represented in the WMDP and WMIP phases
include petrochemical, metal finishing, steel and non-ferrous
metals, meat and dairy processing, cement, and textiles.
In Poland, 52 waste minimization projects have been completed to
date. The projects have saved 18 participating companies in the
chemical, pharmaceutical, non-ferrous metals, meat processing and
dairy industrial sectors about U.S. $8 million per year,
equivalent to an NPV of U.S. $30.1 million. At the same time the
program prevented thousands of tons of pollutants from being
discharged into the environment and prevented the generation of
hundreds of thousands of cubic meters of contaminated wastewater.
Of the $1.55 million total capital invested in this program,
$1.35 million, or 87 percent, was contributed by the
participating companies.
The investments made and the savings achieved by the
participating companies demonstrate the success of WEC's program
to institutionalize a waste minimization and cleaner production
culture in a wide range of Central and Eastern European
industries. The results prove that older factories can be made
more eco-efficient and that it is possible to make profitable
investments in process improvements and other waste minimization
measures. Most importantly the waste minimization projects have
shown that changes in management culture can be brought about by
a well-designed and properly-implemented process.
Further analysis of these results indicates that WEC's strategy
of first conducting WMDPs followed by WMIPs has been extremely
effective. Throughout the WMDPs, WEC worked with company managers
to help them fully recognize the value of eco-efficiency.
Dissemination of results of WMDPs was undertaken to promote
replication by other industries and facilities via WMIPs. A total
of 61 companies responded and implemented 146 WMIPs. The
financial contribution by companies increased significantly
during the WMIP phase. Of the total WMIP investment of about
$3.76 million, the participating companies invested $3.48
million, or 92.6 percent, as compared with only 18 percent during
the WMDPs. The 61 participating companies saved a total of $14.94
million per year.
Waste Minimization Activities in India
In a program initiated in 1997, WEC is helping the cement
industry in India to reduce air pollution through waste
minimization and other environmental management measures. To
date, the program is underway at eight cement manufacturing
facilities located throughout India.
India is currently the fourth largest producer of cement in the
world, with about 60 million metric tons per year. The production
of cement is forecast to double over the next 10 years. Most
plants are located away from large cities in rural areas near the
limestone quarries and coal deposits. Many plants are in forest
areas, and some new plants have been constructed in mountainous
regions.
The major pollutant of concern from cement manufacturing is
particulate matter, and therefore, major emphasis is placed on
controlling particulate emissions from manufacturing and
material-handling operations. Conventionally, large cement plants
employ bag filters and electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) to
achieve permissible emission standards for particulates of 150 to
250 mg/m3. The regulatory authorities in India have lowered the
standard for existing cement plants to 150 mg/m3 and have
proposed further reductions in the standards in
environmentally-sensitive areas.
The WEC program with the India cement industry seeks to enable
cement producers to develop expertise for upgrading existing
pollution-control equipment and practices for meeting the revised
air pollution guidelines. Improvements are targeted in the
following areas: process control and instrumentation, operation
and maintenance of electrostatic precipitators and bag filters,
and management policies and organization of environmental
systems.
In November 1997, a WEC team consisting of four cement process
experts from the U.S. and Cemex of Monterrey, Mexico conducted
two-day visits to each of the eight participating cement plants.
During each visit, the WEC team met with company specialists to
evaluate current operations and opportunities for improvement in
process control and instrumentation, operation and maintenance of
electrostatic precipitators and bag filters, process stacks and
fugitive dust emissions, and management policies and organization
for environment, health and safety. Following the visits, an
action plan to implement recommended improvements was prepared by
each plant. A follow-up visit is planned for early 1998 to review
progress and provide additional assistance in implementation of
improvements.
Worldwide Assistance for the Energy Sector
A consortium headed by Advanced Engineering Associates
International recently was awarded an Indefinite Quantity
Contract (IQC) as a result of USAID's Request for Proposal No.
M/OP-97-364, Technical and Advisory Services, and Training and
Research in the Energy and Environment Sector. As an official
Resource Organization in the Consortium, WEC and its services are
available to any country that has a USAID program.
The scope of work of the IQC covers five programmatic areas:
energy sector policy and planning
energy efficiency
renewable energy
energy and environmental infrastructure and technology transfer
technical training in the four programmatic areas above
WEC brings to the Consortium a 15-year record of technical
projects in more than 600 industrial plants in some 45 countries.
Many of these projects have included both training of plant
personnel and the implementation of energy efficiency and/or
pollution reduction or prevention initiatives. IEDS activity
focuses on many industrial sectors, including:
Batteries Metal Finishing Pulp and Paper
Cement Metallurgy Rubber
Dairy Mining Steel
Detergents Municipal Sanitation Sugar
Dyestuffs Non-Ferrous Metals Synthetic Fibers
Electroplating Organic Chemicals Tanneries
Fertilizers Petrochemicals Textiles
Food Processing Refineries Viscose
Lubricating Oils Pharmaceuticals Wood/Furniture
Meat Plastics
WEC has trained over 2,000 environmental agency and plant
personnel and consultants on the techniques of waste minimization
and energy-efficiency improvement. WEC's ability to conduct these
technical programs is based, in large measure, on its
long-standing working relationship with governments and industry.
Corporate Meetings and Workshops on Eco-Efficient Industrial
Management
For 20 years, the International Environment Forum (IEF), a WEC
program, has organized large-scale international meetings and
workshops on environmental policy and environmental management
issues related to energy and environmental auditing, impact
assessment, and eco-efficiency. The events are attended by major
decision-makers from government (such as ministers of environment
from North and South America, Europe, and Asia) and senior
officers from major U.S. and European multinational corporations.
In April 1998, the IEF is hosting such a meeting in New York City
entitled "Kyoto: What does it mean to industry?" The Meeting will
be open to IEF participating companies and corporate guests. For
more information about this event, please contact: Linda T.
Reinstadtler, WEC Manager, Corporate Programs at mailto:lindar@wec.org,
or (212) 683-4700, ext. 237.
Article By: Antony G. Marcil, President & CEO, WEC
Karen Fidler, Project Manager, C&EE I, WEC
M.K. Herbs, Manager Communications, WEC
For further information please contact Marianne K. Herbs, WEC
Manager, Communications, at mailto:herbs@wec.org, or (212) 683-4700,
ext. 256.
* * *
L i t e r a t u r e R e v i e w s
TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT AFRICA
Africa and the American Private Sector: Corporate Perspectives on
a Growing Relationship, Corporate Council on Africa, Washington,
DC, 1997.
This compilation of workshop papers from the "Attracting Capital
to Africa "summit in Virginia, April 1997 offers an analysis of
African marketplace issues and how the U.S. commercial sector
might respond to them. The issues discussed by experts at the
meeting include transportation technologies, investment growth,
and countries in transition. For information about the
publication contact Corporate Council on Africa, 202/835-1115 or
www.africacncl.org.
* * *
O r g a n i z a t i o n s
WORLD ENVIRONMENT COUNCIL (WEC)
Founded in 1974, WEC is an independent, not-for-profit,
non-advocacy organization. WEC is a bridge for the exchange of
information and expertise among industry, government,
non-governmental organizations, and the community. WEC is
headquartered in New York City; has offices in Bangkok, Geneva,
Jakarta, Mexico City, and Washington, DC; and program
coordinators in ten other countries.
The Center contributes to sustainable development worldwide by
strengthening industrial and urban environment, health and safety
policy and practices through three complementary programs - the
International Environment and Development Service (IEDS), the
International Environment Forum (IEF), and the WEC Gold Medal for
International Corporate Environmental Achievement.
For more information about WEC, please contact Marianne K. Herbs,
WEC Manager, Communications at mailto:herbs@wec.org, or (212) 683-4700,
ext. 256.
* * *
V I T A P r o j e c t s
NGOSAT NETWORK AND THE INTERNET
In the December issue of DevelopNet News, we briefly described a
Non Government Organization (NGO) network that would focus on
improving developing country communications. Among other things,
this network (called "NGOsat Network" for the time being) would
have priority use of and free access to VITAsat, VITA's low earth
orbiting (LEO) satellite. In addition, the network would help to
help to find financial support to enable developing country NGOs
to secure communications equipment, training, and information
access.
Because of the memory storage limitations of a "little" (below 1
GHz) LEO, VITA and TOOL, a Dutch PVO, are also organizing a
network of "little" LEO satellite owners other than VITA. Several
satellite owners have already expressed interest. The theory,
simply, is, the more capacity via more satellites, the faster and
more reliable communications will be between developing countries
and the rest of the world. This "excess capacity" of other
"little" LEOs will also be offered for free to NGO users.
An increased number of satellites, together with strategically
located gateways to the Internet, will provide enough capacity to
ensure increasingly rapid email communications to and from
developing countries.
So, the complete picture is a network of NGO users and a network
of LEO providers - working together as the NGOsat Network
(temporary name). The goal is to develop an information culture
in developing countries through strengthening the communications
infrastructure by providing global email capabilities.
A concept paper with more details is now circulating for comment
so that a final draft can be prepared for the anticipated Spring
'98 meeting in Amsterdam.
For more information, contact: mailto:ngosat@vita.org.
* * *
A n n o u n c e m e n t s
NGO STRATEGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
OIC International and Sustainable Development Services have
organized this conference for April 5-11, 1998 in Assinie, Cote
d'Ivoire to focus on how to make the transition from a grant
dependent management style to a market-oriented, client-driven
approach. This will be a practical "hands on" conference that
will deal with cost recovery and revenue generation in the
context of long range planning. For information contact:
mailto:oici@oicinternational.org.
GENERATION GAP IN DEVELOPMENT?
While it's early days, you might mark your calendar for a
conference in January 1999. It is billed as "The Global Meeting
of Generations." Its purpose is to develop a new vision of human
development in the 21st century which bridge and encompass the
generations. Subject tracks include Family and Community; Work,
Employment and Income; Demographics and Life; Governance and
Participation; Environment; Knowledge and Technology; Values and
Ethics; International Development Cooperation & Finance; Human
Security and Peace; and, Development Education and Communication.
The meeting will be held in Washington, DC. Visit the conference
website: www.idc.org/gmg
* * *
HOW TO JOIN VITA'S ELECTRONIC FORUM
VITA's free, public, online discussion forum, DEVEL-L, provides
for the exchange of ideas and information on a wide range of issues and
topics related to technology transfer in international development; for
example, technologies, communications in development, sustainable
agriculture, women in development, the environment, small enterprise
development, meetings, and book reviews. Subscribers to DEVEL-L
automatically receive this newsletter. To join the forum, send this message:
SUB DEVEL-L (your real name, without parentheses)
to this address: <mailto:LISTSERV@AUVM.BITNET> or
mailto:<LISTSERV@AMERICAN.EDU>. You
can receive the same benefits by joining the newsgroup
bit.listserv.devel-l. Other organizations archive postings to DEVEL-L on the
World Wide Web at URLs <http://www.ljextra.com/mailinglists/wwwdevel-l>
and <http://library.wustl.edu/~listmgr/devel-l>.
You can subscribe to this newsletter, DevelopNet News, without
joining the discussion forum by sending the following message to the same
LISTSERV address:
SUB DNN-L (your real name, without parentheses)
Please do not send these messages to VITA or to DEVEL-L.
* * *
DevelopNet News is an electronic newsletter published monthly by
Volunteers in Technical Assistance (VITA), a private, nonprofit,
international development organization located in Arlington, Virginia.
The newsletter needs your stories: you are invited to send them to
the editor in electronic form. Your redistribution of DevelopNet News is
encouraged. Kindly send us a message on the approximate size of
your mailing list; it will be helpful in our planning. Back issues can
be downloaded gratis from VITA's BBS and gopher addresses.
President: Henry R. Norman <mailto:hnorman@vita.org>
Acting Editor: Joe Sedlak <mailto:jsedlak@vita.org>
VITA specializes in information dissemination and communications
technology. It offers services related to sustainable agriculture,
food processing, renewable energy applications, water sanitation and
supply, small enterprise development, and information management. It has
projects in 6 African countries.
VITA's publications, on a variety of practical subjects, are
designed to assist persons and organizations in developing countries. You can
request a descriptive publications list by postal mail, phone, or
fax. You also can download the list by anonymous ftp or gopher. A
searchable version of 150 publications is available on a single CD.
VITA's on-line information services: 24-hr BBS: +1 (703) 527-1086
[9600,N,8,1], URL gopher://gopher.vita.org, anonymous
ftp://ftp.vita.org, World-Wide Web http://www.vita.org .
Volunteers in Technical Assistance (VITA), 1600 Wilson Boulevard,
Suite 500, Arlington, Virginia 22209. Tel. +1 (703) 276-1800, fax +1
(703) 243-1865, telex 440192 VITAUI, cable VITAINC, e-mail: Internet
mailto:<vita@vita.org>, FidoNet 1:109/165.