Annual Report 2009 - Asian Productivity Organization

one power plant, and one hospital) and several expert
lectures.
The 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle)
The concept of the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle) is
being emphasized worldwide as an easy, effective way
to protect our environment by minimizing resources
and waste. The APO’s GP strategy helps implementation
of the 3Rs in a structured, systematic way.
The APO held the first project on the 3Rs in
Phitsanulok, Thailand, in 2006 where the participants
learned about effective waste recycling through a
successful local case study of the “Waste Bank.” That
project attracted widespread attention from member
countries, and subsequently a similar project was held
in Thailand in 2007, followed by a seminar on the 3Rs
in Japan in 2008.
The 3Rs project in 2009 was in the form of a seminar
targeting the private sector and provided participants
with the opportunity to learn the best practices of
the 3Rs in Japan and to develop action plans for
introducing compatible methodologies in their own
organizations. The workshop was held in Tokyo,
28 September–2 October, in collaboration with the
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan
and JPC. It was attended by 18 participants from 14
member countries.
Program coverage: Current scenario and prospective
of the 3Rs in Japan and the region; 3R implementation
from the aspect of regulation and law; 3R policy;
Issues and challenges of 3Rs in the Asian context; and
Reuse business. The individual country papers were
presented and discussed on the afternoon of Day 2 of
the workshop. Site visits were made to Re-Tem Corporation,
Hyper Cycle Systems, Sai-no-Kuni Resource
Recycling Factory, Orix Resource Recycling Services
Corporation, I’ll Clean-Tech, and Um-Welt-Japan.
e-Waste Management
e-Waste can be defined as electrical and electronic
equipment/devices/products that connect with power
plugs or use batteries which have become outdated/
obsolete due to advances in technology or changes in
fashion, style, and status and/or are nearing the end
of their useful life. It is becoming a major problem
worldwide due to rapid advances in IT. It is also
significant due to the dumping of e-waste such as computers
by developed countries in developing countries,
which results in severe environmental degradation.
Most APO member countries have no laws or specific
regulations to deal with e-waste.
The APO therefore organized a workshop on e-Waste
Management, in Taipei, 12–16 October, in association
with the CPC and Taiwan Environmental Manufacturers
Association. The workshop was attended by 23
participants from 13 member countries. The objectives
were to review current e-waste generation, storage,
processing, and disposal scenarios in member countries;
deliberate on policies and recent initiatives for
e-waste management; assess adverse environmental
impacts due to improper disposal of e-waste and
their effects on economies; evolve methods for the
systematic management of e-waste using the Green
Productivity approach; and develop individual action
plans for introducing effective e-waste management
mechanisms. Three international resource persons deputed
by the APO conducted sessions and facilitated
discussions.
Program coverage: Assessment of current e-waste
generation in member countries; Review of e-waste
storage, handling, processing, and disposal practices;
Identifying suitable technologies for e-waste management;
Formulating policy measures for addressing
e-waste issues; Assessing the role of the private and
public sectors in e-waste management; and Advanced
technology for implementation of effective e-waste
management in the Republic of China. E&E Recycling,
Inc. and Super Dragon Technology Industry
hosted field visits to demonstrate their e-waste
management techniques.
Certified Lead Auditors of the Environmental
Management System (ISO14001)
An environmental management system (EMS) refers
to the management of an organization’s environmentrelated
activities in a comprehensive, systematic,
planned, documented manner. It includes the organizational
structure, planning, and resources for
developing, implementing, and maintaining a policy
for environmental protection. The establishment of
the EMS ISO14001 was the result of a worldwide focus
on the environment, encouraging a cleaner, safer,
healthier world. The APO has organized a number of
projects related to the EMS ISO14001.
In 2009, an e-learning training course was organized
from July–September in three phases in which 225
participants from 13 member countries logged on. As
a follow-up, a face-to-face training course for Certified
Lead Auditors of the Environment Management System
(ISO14001) was organized in association with the
NPS, 2–6 November, in Colombo for 20 participants
from 13 member countries. The objective was to train
participants to become EMS auditors and develop and
operate EMS in compliance with ISO14001.
Program coverage: Overview of management systems,
audits, and certification process; Understanding the
ISO14001 standard; Requirements of ISO14001; How
APO ANNUAL REPORT 2009 35
INTERFACE SECTOR