GEC’s Supporting Activities for
UNEP-IETC’s Waste Management
Programs
Makoto Fujita
Manager, Planning and Coordination Department,
Global Environment Centre (GEC), Osaka, Japan
9th Asia-Pacific Eco-Business Forum, 30 January 2013
Kawasaki City Industrial Promotion Center, Japan
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Profile of GEC• The Global Environment Centre (GEC) was establishedin 1992 as a supporting organization of theUNEP/International Environmental Technology Centre(UNEP/IETC) in Osaka, Japan, with a capitalendowment from Osaka City Government and Osaka
Prefecture Government.
• GEC is providing support to UNEP/IETC, such as facility
sharing, assistance in organizing workshops andconferences, etc. GEC also acts as an intermediary
between IETC and various organizations/institutions inJapan, to help ensure that IETC’s activities proceedsmoothly and efficiently.

IETC’s Waste Management Workshops/Meetings
Organized in Cooperation with GEC
 Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) and Global Partnership on
Waste Management (GPWM)
Oct. 2009 Regional Training Workshop on ISWM based on 3R
Nov. 2010 2nd Consultation Meeting on GPWM
Apr. 2012 Asia-Pacific Workshop on GPWM and ISWM
Nov. 2012 GPWM Biennium Conference Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE/E-waste)
July 2010 Regional Workshop on E-waste Management
July 2011 E-waste Management Workshop on Tack-back System
July 2012 Multi-Stakeholder Policy Dialogue: Addressing E-waste Challenges
and Opportunities through Public-Private Sector Cooperation
 Others
June 2009 International Expert Group Workshop on Compendium of EST for
Converting Waste Plastics into a Resource
Mar. 2010 Regional Workshop on Waste Agricultural Biomass
Mar. 2012 Seminar on Management of Debris Created by the Tohoku Tsunami:3International Experience Sharing

Features of IETC’s Activities• Holistic, systematic, and practical approaches
E.g. Project implementation:
guidelines/manuals/technology compendiums
 workshops/training  demonstration projects
 replications to other locations
E.g. Approach for ISWM implementation:
inventory survey  assessment and gap identification
 target setting and issues  planning• Oriented to needs and fundamental causes
E.g. E-waste management workshops:
training  take-back system  public-private dialogue
E.g. Global Partnership on Waste Management (GPWM):
Enhance international cooperation among stakeholders,
avoid duplication of efforts, complement existing work,
identify and fill information gap4

Policy in Supporting IETC Activities• Selection of target activities
Among IETC’s proposed or ongoing programs, target activities
are selected based on IETC’s suggestions/requests through indepth consultation between IETC and GEC.
• Strategy in implementing support activities
When implementing support activities, GEC is trying toincorporate providing opportunities for Japanese local
administrations, the private sector, and the general public toparticipate in IETC’s events/activities and to introduce theirenvironmental initiatives, approaches, and technologies todeveloping countries as much as possible.
5Asia-Pacific Workshop on Global Partnership on Waste Management(GPWM) and Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM),
16-20 April 2012 Participants from overseas: Participants from Japan:

Representatives of national/local
governments, research institutions andinternational organizations from 15
countries (Bangladesh, Cambodia,India, Kenya, Korea, Lao PDR,Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan,Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka,
Thailand, Vietnam)

MoE, MoFA, METI, NIES, AIST, JICA,IGES, Osaka City, Kawasaki City,
Osaka Univ., UNCRD, UNITAR, WHOKobe,a-Socca, BGCT, Environmental Strategies
Inc., Hitachi Zosen, Mitsui & Co., ORIX
Environmental Resources Management,Panasonic, Plantec, Rematec, etc.

Workshop session, 16-20 April 2012(at GEC meeting room)

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Field visit on 20 April 2012
(Waste incineration plant & landfill site in Osaka)

Multi-Stakeholder Policy Dialogue: Addressing E-waste
Challenges and Opportunities through Public-Private Sector
Cooperation, 18-20 July 2012 Participants from overseas: Participants from the private sector:

National governments, international
Canon, Dell, DOWA Eco-system,organizations, e-products manufactures, EX Research Institute, Hewlett-Packard,
recyclers, research institutions andInstitute of Scrap Recycling Industries,
NGOs from 18 countries (Argentina,Kokusai Kogyo, Mitsui & Co., Nokia,China, Egypt, Indonesia, Kenya,
ORIX Eco Services, ORIX Environmental
Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia,
Resources Management, Panasonic,Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland,RWEC, Shan Poornam Metals, SHARP,Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, UK,Sims Metal Management, TES-AMM,USA, Vietnam, Zambia)
etc.

Dialogue session, 18-19 July 2012(at Tsurumi-no-mori Guest House, Osaka)

Field Visit, 20 July 2012 (End of life home 7
appliance collection plant and recycling plant)Global Partnership on Waste Management (GPWM)
Biennium Conference, 5-6 November 2012 Participants: 184
Representatives of national/local
governments, international organizations,private sector, research institutions,academia, NGOs from 41 countries(including high-level officials)
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh,
Belgium, Brazil, Cambodia, Chile, Costa
Rica, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, France,Greece, Guatemala, India, Indonesia,
Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Lao PDR,Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Peru,Philippines, Russia, Senegal, Singapore,
South Africa, Sri Lanka, Switzerland,Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, UK,Uruguay, USA, Yemen, Zambia
8Global Partnership on Waste Management (GPWM)
Biennium Conference, 5-6 November 2012 Participants from the private sector:
Astec Tokyo, BGCT, Community Policy
Institute, D-Waste, EcoLomics
International, Ethos Law Office,Euromines, GEEMS Associates, Hitachi
Zosen, IDEA Consultants, Japan
Research Institute, Kajima Corporation,Kokusai Kogyo, Kubota Environmental
Service, Landfill Gas Industries Pty,Maeda Corporation, Mitsubishi ResearchInstitute, Nippon Koei, Ove Arup andPartners Japan, Panasonic, Plantec, Sims
Recycling Solutions, Takase Corporation,Toshiba, Urban System Integration, Veolia
Environmental Services, ZEN Capital, etc.
9Global Partnership on Waste Management (GPWM)
Biennium Conference, 5-6 November 2012
Feedback questionnaire (38)Presentations/panel discussion

Overseas
participants(26)

Japaneseparticipants(12)

Waste & climate change
Focal areas

Marine litterXX

Waste agricultural biomass
Integrated solid waste management

XXE-wasteX

Waste minimization

XX

Strategic /practical

Waste management is a good businessXXXX

Research & technology needs

X

Disaster debris

XX

Waste management & eco-towns

XX10

Benefits of Supporting Organizationof IETC’s Workshops• Valuable international conferences/workshops can be held in Japan,
where delegates from overseas countries including developing
countries with UNEP’s financial assistance.
• Since GEC co-organizes or supports the workshops/conferences,
GEC can call for Japanese private companies and research institutes
to participate and give presentations in the workshop, and facilitate:– Disseminating information to overseas countries on Japaneseenvironmental technologies, policies, initiatives, etc.;– Providing Japanese private companies and others with informationon the current situation of developing countries and various
initiatives/approaches in the world;– Providing Japanese private companies and experts with
opportunities to network with delegates from developing countries,
to develop new business, and to find new business partners.
• By organizing site visit tours, Japanese technologies and systems
regarding waste processing/disposal/recycling can be introduced to11delegates from developing countries to increase their understanding.

Eco-town Workshops Co-organized by
GEC and IETCMar. 2009 Bandung Eco-town Workshop: Development of Waste Management
Program with Local Participation and Contribution for Eco-town
ProgramAug. 2009 Eco-town Stakeholders Consultation and Training/AwarenessWorkshops (in Penang and Bandung)

Sep. 2010 Bandung Eco-town Workshop: Sharing Information andExperiences in Developing a “recycling-oriented society" forCommunities and Industries
Dec. 2011 Penang Eco-town Workshop: Sharing Information and Experiencesin Developing a “recycling-oriented society”
Dec. 2011 Bandung Eco-town Evaluation Workshop
Dec. 2012 Review and Planning Workshop on Eco-town (in Penang)12

Eco-town WorkshopsBandung Eco-town Workshop
21 Sep 2010, Bandung City Hall
100 participants attended

Penang Eco-town Workshop
7 Dec 2011, Cititel Hotel Penang
140 participants attended

Presentations by Japan andJapanese private companies
GEC, UNEP-IETC, IDE-JETRO,
Affiliated company of DOWA Groupand TORAY Group

Presentations by Japan andJapanese private companies
GEC, UNEP-IETC, Kawasaki City,
JETRO Kuala Lumpur Office,Panasonic Environmental
13Engineering, Mitsui & Co., CanonBenefits of Joint Implementation by IETC and GEC
Benefits to developing countries•IETC: Provide knowledge to develop frameworks (including policy,strategies, mechanisms, etc.) for eco-town planning to developing
countries.
•GEC: Show actual case examples in Japan, e.g. application ofenvironmental technologies, law and regulations, initiatives of various
stakeholders, etc.
 Concrete examples can help developing countries to have ideas
for developing policy frameworks.
Benefits to GEC and Japan•Through the scheme of UNEP’s projects, GEC can introduce
Japanese technologies, systems and approaches.
•Since UNEP co-organizes the workshops, they can be often attended
by high level officials, such as ministers and mayors, and a lot ofparticipants. And since GEC co-organizes, GEC can invite Japanese
private companies to introduce their technologies and initiatives to local
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participants.

Some comments of Japanese private companies
participated in IETC’s workshop• It is difficult for individual private companies to get
opportunities to meet government officials of developingcountries. It is useful to participate in IETC’s workshops for
networking with such government officials.
• Laws and regulations regarding waste management differ ineach developing countries and are often revised or newly
established. Presentations in IETC’s workshops are useful toobtain such information.
• It is difficult to know clear and precise needs of developing
countries in an organized format from the presentations.
• Ｉt is desirable that IETC’s whole activities and functions be
plainly introduced to Japanese private sector widely.
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Needs of Developing Countries• In many cases, what national governments and local
governments in developing countries require is not an
individual technology, but a packaged solution comprised ofinstitutional systems, strategies, approaches, andtechnologies, etc. To cope with this, the private sector,
research institutes, and public organizations shouldcollaborate to each other to provide the best combined
solution with their own expertise.
• In cases such as industrial complexes in developing countries,
technologies for waste/wastewater treatment are required.
But in such cases, a packaged solution might be requiredconsidering operation of the whole system.
• In developing countries, the number of manufactures ofwaste/wastewater treatment facilities/systems are increasing.
Accordingly, needs for element technologies, equipment, and16
devices are increasing.

Needs of Developing Countries• National governments and local governments indeveloping countries need to know their own needs
more precisely, in order to facilitate developing policies
and strategies. If the needs are clear and precise, it will
become easier to receive assistance from donor
agencies.
• In waste management, it is necessary for them toimplement waste inventory surveys, and assessments ofcurrent status and systems to know their own needs.
• IETC’s ISWM approach is a good tool for theirimplementation.
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Future Prospects of GEC’s Support of IETC
• Since GEC was established to support IETC’s activities
as well as to carry out international cooperation forcontributing to global environmental protection, GEC
continues to carry out activities for these two objectives.
• While Japanese industries are promoting environmental
business overseas, GEC will be participating in suchactivities in a manner to leverage IETC’s expertise andexperience to contribute to environmental protection indeveloping countries.

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