ANNUAL MEETING REPORT OF

THE NATO SPS PILOT STUDY ON

CLEAN PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES 

May 4-9, 2008 

Magnus Haus, Berlin, Germany 

Goals of Phase II of this Pilot: 

• To promote cooperation for improving the common pollution landscape by stimulating cross-national 

dialogues and collaboration 

• To share knowledge on the methods, tools, and technologies for making cleaner and sustainable 

products and processes possible 

The 11th annual meeting of the NATO SPS Pilot Study, Clean Products and Processes, was held in Berlin, 

Germany from May 4 to 9, 2008. Of the 36 countries involved in this pilot, 23 sent representatives to this 

meeting. In addition, it was an honor to have the Topical Symposium start by introducing Mr. Thomas 

Holzmann, Vice President, Federal Environment Agency, Germany. Mr. Holzmann thanked the delegates for 

their efforts in the field of sustainable/renewable energy and their roles in promoting science for peace, security, 

stability and solidarity. He acknowledged that while the topic of Biomass production is controversial, Germany 

and the EU have ambitious targets to achieve. He concluded by wishing everyone a wonderful stay in Berlin. 

The conference was efficiently organized and included two days of technical presentations, one day for field 

trips to four Biomass facilities, Thursday’s Symposium, and wrapping up on Friday with final presentations and 

discussions. This year, the meeting was mainly sponsored by NATO SPS, U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency and the Federal Environment Agency of Germany (Umwelt Bundes Amt). Typically one delegate per 

country attends this meeting. However, the United States of America, Czech Republic, Belgium, Portugal, Italy, 

and Germany each had more than one attendee at this meeting. The countries represented in this meeting were 

Azerbaijan Republic, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, 

Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, 

Ukraine, the United States of America, and Turkey. 

The meeting started at 6 pm on Sunday evening, (May 4) with a reception, delegate introduction, and gettogether. The opening session on Monday morning, (May 5) was addressed by Dr. Horst Pohle, Meeting 

Director, Federal Environment Agency (Germany), Subhas Sikdar, Director of this Pilot Project, and Mr. Daniel 

Murray, the Co-Director of the Pilot. 

Here is the summary of the meeting’s activities: 

Following the opening talks, the first technical session on Monday started at 10:20 am. This session was 

chaired by Daniel Murray. Monday’s technical presentations were as follows: 

• Jurgis Staniskis (Lithuania): Sustainable consumption and production – how to make it possible? 

• Carlo Vandecasteele (Belgium): Evaluation of the eco-efficiency of the Flemish Industry (1995-2006) 
• Alexander Omelchenko (Canada): Surviving Lead: The grave has been dug, the coffin prepared, the service 

arranged, but the body just would not lie down in coffin 

• Alexandru Stratulat (Moldova): Energy Efficiency in Moldova 

• Annik Magerholm Fet (Norway): From Cleaner Production (CP) to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) – 

an overview of tools and methods 

• Andrzej Marcinkowski (Poland): Technical and organizational problems accompanying a design of symbiotic 

connections between enterprises 

• Viorel Harceag (Romania): Industrial ecology from theory to practice 

• Chantal Block (Belgium): Eco-industrial parks, a collaboration between Flanders, Poland and Romania, 

outgrowth of the NATO/SPS Pilot Project on “Clean Products and Processes” 

• William Zadorsky (Ukraine): Cleaner production theory, tools, methods and experience of realization 

The first day closed with a Pilot Study Retrospective presentation that captured the past ten years of 

contributions, participants and the strong evidence of partnerships for future collaborative efforts in the field of 

environmental security pursuits. 

The second day of technical presentations started Tuesday, May 6 at 8:35 am. This session was chaired by 

Daniel Murray. Tuesday’s technical presentations were as follows: 

• Miroslava Vaclavikova (Slovakia): Arsenic removal from water streams using Fe-modified zeolite: A column 

study 

• Gueorgui Kagramanov (Russia): Use of membrane filtration methods for treatment of heavy metals 

containing wastewaters in combination with flotation 

• Farhang Shadman (USA): Manufacturing in Nano-Scale: Environmental Opportunities and Pitfalls 

• George Gallios (Greece): Removal of colour from water streams by advanced oxidation methods 

• Alessandra Criscuoli (Italy): New application of membrane contactors 

• Daniel Murray (USA): Update on Sustainable Water Infrastructure and Water Reuse in the U.S. 

• Gyula Zilahy (Hungary): Sustainable consumption – the human dimension 

• Gerd Winkelmann (Germany): Hazard Prevention and Emergency Planning at Transboundary Rivers in the 

UN ECE Region 

• Vagif Baghiyev (Azerbaijan): Catalytic conversion of ethanol to chemicals as examples of catalysis in a 

sustainable fine chemical industry 

• Ales Komar and Frantisek Bozek (Czech Republic): Problems of Biomass Exploitation in the Czech Action 

Area 

• Jose Coca (Spain): Technical and Economic Evaluation of Biodiesel Production by Enzymatic Catalysis 

• Aysel Atimtay (Turkey): The Role and the Importance of Biomass in Sustainable Development 

• Teresa Mata and Antonio Martins (Portugal): Prospects for Biodiesel Production and Future Evolution 

Wednesday, May 7th, a field trip was scheduled to visit four Biomass Facilities which was a perfect lead into 

Thursday’s Symposium topic of Biomass: Resources, Conversion, Markets, and Policies. The first stop was the 

Selbelang Biogas Plant. Selbelang had a plant capacity of 340 kWh. The process used to generate the biogas 

was wet fermentation using regenerative agricultural resources (substrate was a mixture of cow manures and 

various silages). Electricity produced from this plant is fed into the national grid. The next stop was the 

Fehrebellin Biogas Plant (Rhinmilch GmbH Agrargesellschaft). This plant boasted a larger capacity yield of 

biogas generation again using a combination substrate of cow manures and silage. The tour directed us through 
several of the process stages and showcased state of the art technology upgrades. The third stop was the Ketzin 

Biogas Plant. This plant, built in 2007/2008, was unlike the others as it is classified as a dry fermentation facility 

and is sponsored by e.disnatur Emeuerbare Energien GmbH. Using a mixture of maize silage and grain, this 

plant claims to produce a more purified gas which is fed directly into the electric grid. Schwanebeck Biogas 

Plant was the last facility toured. Located adjacent to a pig breeding farm, this plant collects the liquid pig 

manure and accepts third party substrate of fat and food wastes to generate biogas used to process heat, 

equipment operation, hot water generation and heating for the pig-breeding facility. 

Thursday, May 8th was devoted to the one-day topical symposium on Biomass: Resources, Conversion, 

Markets, and Policies. Dr. Horst Pohle introduced Mr. Thomas Holzmann, Vice President of Federal 

Environment Agency of Germany who welcomed the participants to Germany and recognized this pilot program 

as a great forum for cooperation and collaboration in the effort to use scientific research to promote peace with 

security, stability and solidarity. 

To supplement the discussions and promote industry awareness, typically several guest speakers are invited to 

join in the Topical Symposium. This year was no different and featured presentations from five professionals in 

the field of Environment, Energy and Research. In addition, Ms. Özlem Özgül Yilmaz, Consultant for NATO 

Public Diplomacy Division (PPD) / Science for Peace and Security (SPS) was in attendance Thursday for the 

Symposium. She delivered the opening presentation on the new structure, roles and objectives of the 

Environmental Security Panel (ESP). 

The session was chaired by Subhas Sikdar and Dan Murray (US). These are the talks delivered: 

Topical Symposium: Biomass: Resources, Conversion, Markets, and Policies

• Thomas Holzmann (Germany): Welcome and Introduction 

• Özlem Özgül Yilmaz (Turkey): Environmental Security Panel (ESP) 

• Subhas Sikdar (USA): Biomass to Biofuels: Environmental, Societal, and Economic Issues

• Michael Herr (Germany): Political and legal framework in Germany 

• Frank Scholwin (Germany): Availability and Utilization of Biomass Resources – Overview and technological 

options at the example of biogas production 

• Frank Scholwin (Germany): Production of biogas at different German Biogas plants in agriculture and waste 

management 

• Franziska Müller-Langer (Germany): Overview Biofuel-Technologies 

• Uwe Fritsche (Germany): Sustainability Standards for Biofuels in Germany: Status and Perspectives 

• Henrik Wenzel (Denmark): Life Cycle Assessment Study Comparing Biogas for Transportation with other 

Biofuels 

• Gilbert Rochon (USA): BioFuels: The Dialectics of Energy Security and Food Security 

• Peter Glavic (Slovenia): Biomass and Biofuels – the Solution or another Illusion?

On Friday, May 9th the schedule was altered to accommodate three presentations originally scheduled for the 

Symposium that were changed due to time constraints. The revised schedule of presentations included: 

• Gilbert Rochon (USA): The Kamal Ewida Earth Observatory – NATO SPS Grant 

• Enrico Drioli (Italy): An integrated membrane system for advances biogas production, recovery and 

valorisation 

• Annik Magerholm Fet (Norway): Biofuel and Eco-Efficiency – Exemplified by Small Recreation Boats 
• Jurgis Staniskis (Lithuania): The development of projects and activities on Environmental Security 

• Subhas Sikdar and Dan Murray closing discussion 

As this was the last meeting under the NATO Pilot grant, at the conclusion of all the presentations the floor was 

open to discuss next steps. Preliminary discussions showed an interest in focusing on water infrastructure in 

Mediterranean Dialect countries, Advanced Research Workshops (ARW) in hazard prevention and 

environmental security, and continued focus on Biofuels. 

The request was made for each of the delegates to reflect on how he or she benefited from participating in the 

program. Overall, there was an overwhelming exchange of pleasure and appreciation shown by each delegate. 

The new partnerships, joint ventures, and communications that have been exchanged over the past 11 years are 

immeasurable. 

At 12:05, May 9th, the conclusion of the pilot study was announced. 

Subhas K. Sikdar, Pilot Study Director 

Associate Director for Science 

National Risk Management Research Laboratory 

US Environmental Protection Agency 

Sikdar.subhas@epa.gov
NATO/SPS Pilot Study on Clean Products and Processes –

2008 Annual Meeting – Berlin, Germany, 4-9 May, 2008

List of Participants*

Name Affiliation Country

Dr. Vagif Baghiyev, ELKO ltd, Baku, Azerbaijan Republic

Dr. Carlo Vandecasteele, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium 

Dr. Chantal Block, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium 

Ms. Özlem Özgül Yilmaz, NATO Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium 

Dr. Alexander Omelchenko, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada 

Dr. Ksenija Vitale, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia 

Col. Ales Komar, University of Defence, Brno, Czech Republic 

Dr. Frantisek Bozek, University of Defence, Brno, Czech Republic 

Mr. Henrik Wenzel, University of Southern Denmark, Odense Denmark 

Dr. Horst Pohle, Federal Environment Agency, Dessau, Germany

Dr. George Gallios, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece 

Dr. Gyula Zilahy, Corvinus University of Budapest, Budapest, Hungary 

Dr. Alessandra Criscuoli, University of Calabria, Rende Italy 

Prof. Enrico Drioli, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy 

Dr. Jurgis Staniskis, Kaunas University of Technology, Kaunus, Lithuania 

Prof. Annik Magerholm Fet, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway 

Dr. Andrzej Marcinkowski, Technical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland 

Dr. Teresa M. Mata, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal 

Dr. Antonio Martins, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal 

Mr. Alexandru Stratulat, EC PCA Project, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova

Mr. Viorel Harceag, Ministry of Development, Public Works and Housing, Bucharest, Romania 

Prof. Gueorgui G. Kagramanov, D. Mendeleyev University of Chemical Technology, Moscow, Russia 

Dr. Miroslava Vaclavikova Slovak Academy of Sciences, Kosice, Slovak Republic 

Prof. Dr. Peter Glavic, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia 

Prof. Jose Coca, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain 

Prof. Aysel Atýmtay Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey 

Prof. William M. Zadorsky, Ukrainian Ecological Academy of Sciences, Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine 

Dr. Subhas K. Sikdar, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, United States 

Mr. Daniel J. Murray, Jr., P.E., U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, United States 

Prof. Farhang Shadman, University of Arizona, Tucson, United States 

Dr. Gilbert Rochon, Purdue University, United States 

Other participants in the one-day symposium on Biomass: Resources, Conversion, Markets and Policies

Thomas Holzmann, Vice President, Federal Environmental Agency, Germany 

Michael Herr, German Energy Agency, Germany 

Frank Scholwin, Institute for Energy and Environment, Germany 

Franziska Müller-Langer, Institute for Energy and Environment, Germany 

Uwe Fritsche, OEKO Institute, Germany 

*Alphabetized by country.