EP3 Environmental Pollution Prevention Project - Tunisia

A newsletter on the Environmental Pollution Prevention Project (EP3) mission from Tunisia.

EP3 Mission:

The Environmental Pollution Prevention Project is a five-year program sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to address urban and industrial pollution and environmental quality in developing countries. The objectives of the EP3 program are:

These objective are achieved through on-site industrial assessments to identify pollution prevention opportunities, institutional support and technical assistance to help industry and governments develop and implement programs to manage industrial waste and pollution, an EP3 clearinghouse to disseminate pollution prevention-related materials, and training for environmental professionals.

EP3 in Tunisia:

As one of the first EP3 programs, the Tunisia EP3 office has become a leader in the field of pollution prevention and clean production technology in the Middle East. It has focused on marketing and training to develop awareness and interest in pollution prevention. The EP3 Tunisia office was established by USAID/Tunisia and the PRIDE project of USAID's Near East Bureau and is well into its second and final year of operation. This office became fully functional in October 1993 and houses a staff of three (a private sector specialist, a pollution prevention engineer, and an information specialist). EP3/Tunisia has established close working relationships with industry federations and chambers, government, consultants, and NGOs. The primary organizations EP3/Tunisia has worked with are the Institut Regional des Sciences Informatiques et des Telecommunications (IRSIT) and the Ministry of Environment and Land Use (MEAT). The office is scheduled to close in August 1995.

Training:

Over 20 seminars, outreach sessions and workshops have been conducted in five cities throughout Tunisia. The audiences have included senior managers in Tunisian factories, government and non-government organizations, consultants, and engineering students. Technical training for consultants has focused on prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and environmental due diligence analysis. As a follow-up to the "train-the-trainer" workshop held in Washington, D.C. in May, the EP3/Tunisia office offered a three day train-the-trainer course of pollution prevention trainers. Twenty-two participants from consulting, government, and academia participated in the $50 course. The course covered basic training skills along with pollution prevention materials. The first session was held in January 1995 with participants from the Washington workshop as instructors. The response to this session was enthusiastic and plans are underway to hold another workshop.

Case Studies:

Battery Plant: Lead Dust Reduction

Problem:

One of the facilities that was assessed in Tunisia manufactured lead-acid batteries. Lead poisoning is a widely documented health hazard to humans and as such, one of the goals of the assessment was to reduce the lead dust inhaled by employees and the lead that seeped from the plant into the groundwater.

Recommendation:

It was estimated that with a capital investment of $523,000, the financial benefits that would accrue to the facility would be $1,531,000. These measures could reduce employee exposure to lead dust, reduce energy and water user per unit of output, reduce the amount of lead purchased, reduce lead-contaminated wastewater, and improve product quality.

Electroplating Industry:

Replacing Toxic Solvent with "Soap and Water"

Problem:

Trichloroethylene (TCE), a highly toxic and expensive degreaser, is commonly used in the electroplating industry. TCE has been lined to liver cancer and ozone depletion.

Recommendation:

During an assessment of an electroplating facility in Tunisia, it was found that TCE could be replaced by an aqueous alkaline solution (essentially soap and water). This substitution can reduce the facility's environmental impacts, improve product quality, and save money. It was found that with a capital investment of $5,000, the facility will yield savings (from eliminated solvent purchases) of $12,000 per year.

The Future of EP3/Tunisia:

EP3/Tunisia is the first EP3 program scheduled to close. Now that the essential elements of a sustainable pollution prevention program have been put in place, EP3 is actively exploring options to enable the office to continue to operate beyond September 1995 when USAID funding will end. The options being explored are the creation of a not-for-profit entity, a professional association, an NGO, and a for-profit consulting firm. The most viable option may well be converting the program office to an NGO office to enable it to accept funds from other sources such as UNEP, the World Bank, and other international donor agencies. Regardless of the organizational structure, it is planned that this organization will continue to supply pollution prevention knowledge and techniques to the growing Tunisian market.


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Last Updated: January 16, 1996