Cleaner Production and Chemical Leasing

International Conference on Chemical Management (ICCM) Dubai
6th February 2006

UNIDO- Austria SAICM Side Event:

A global win-win strategy for risk management and SAICM

Mr. Josef Proel,
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management of Austria

and

Mr. Kandeh Yumkella,
UNIDO Director General
jointly inaugurated the event.

More than 100 representatives from governmental institutions, industries, IGOs and NGOs participated in the UNIDO-Austria SAICM side event on Cleaner Production and Chemical Leasing that took place in Dubai on the 6th February 2006. The event was co-organized by the Austrian Ministry of Environment and the UNIDO Cleaner Production Programme.

Mr. Kandeh Yumkella, UNIDO Director General, and Mr. Josef Proell, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management of Austria, jointly inaugurated the event. Different stakeholders presented following an introduction to the concept of Chemical Leasing, the results of the UNIDO project on Chemical Leasing and Cleaner Production as well as future strategies for its successful global dissemination.

UNIDO's CP team and the experts from two UNIDO National Cleaner Production Centres (Egypt and Mexico) illustrated the project development during the first year of implementation. The NCPCs play a facilitator and coordinator role for industry, supporting national capacity building and the implementation of Cleaner Production and Chemical Leasing projects at plant level. The UNIDO project was launched in March 2005 with the support of the Austrian Ministry of Environment. At present, 20 companies are involved in Cleaner Production and Chemical Leasing projects.

Representatives from the industrial sector, among them, alarge multi-national chemical producerand a medium scale company from Egypt presented their experiences in applying Chemical Leasing. Both highlighted the improved risk management at the user's level and the economic and environmental benefits obtained by reducing chemicals and associated costs. The Egyptian representative, furthermore, underlined how the introduction of this new concept allowed the company to dedicate more efforts to improving its core business and expanding to new markets. Both industry representatives indicated that cooperation with technology suppliers is indispensable to ensure that maximum process efficiency is achieved.·

The representative from a quality assurance institution that is active at international level highlighted the importance of high-level quality standards for Chemical Leasing projects. Involving quality assurance institutions in promoting Chemical Leasing business models at global level will foster confidence and smooth relations among the participating companies. In addition, the independent validation is expected to provide added value for other parties.
Conclusions:

· The combination of Cleaner Production and Chemical Leasing has proven to be a win-win situation for economy and environment and can be applied to industries of different sizes.
· Cleaner Production and Chemical Leasing are efficient policy instruments for sustainable chemicals management.
· The Global Action Plan of the SAICM process and the Quick Start Programme should support the international dissemination of Cleaner Production and Chemical Leasing projects.

 

 


 

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