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Wednesday, October 19, 2005

Economic development possible through environmental management – consultant

The economic development of a country cannot be sustained if it would take for granted its environment.

According to Martina Vahlhaus, program manager for private sector management of the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), taking care of the environment would help ensure constant development of a country’s economy.

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Sustainable economic development by taking care of the environment is one of the reasons that prompted the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) to implement in February 2004, a project called “developing a management approach for eco-industrial development in Philippine economic zones,” Peza environmental safety group officer-in-charge Tonilyn Lim said.

“The goal of the project was to enhance not only the economic but also the environmental performance of economic zones in the Philippines,” she told a press conference at the Laguna Garden Café on Tuesday.

Under the project, which had the Mactan Economic Zone (MEZ) 1 as pilot area, a baseline study was conducted to identify the

wastes emitted by firms in the economic zone and the companies producing them.

As a culminating activity, Peza will be holding a two-day eco-industrial expo on environmental management services, which will kick-off on Oct. 20 at MEZ 1.

Lim said the event would gather the country’s top waste recycling, treatment and disposal service-providers.

Companies are encouraged to bring their industrial wastes, such as papers, boxes, electronic equipment, light bulbs, used lead acid batteries, styropor, tires, juice packs and used oil to be collected by participating recycling and treatment firms.

Environmental management seminars on pollution control – including mandatory environmental insurance coverage and the Clean Water Act and its implementing rules and regulations — will also be held during the exposition.

The event is a joint undertaking of the Peza, GTZ, United Nations Development Program, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau and the Facilities Maintenance and Environment Association. (JBN)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2005/10/19/bus/economic.development.possible.through.environmental.management.consultant.html

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