Asian Regional Research Programme on Environmental Technology (ARRPET) conducts major three-day workshop at AIT

In recent times in Asia, population growth, industrialization and urbanization have brought many environmental issues to the forefront of regional consciousness. In view of the growing concern about environmental degradation across the continent, the Asian Regional Research Programme on Environmental Technology (ARRPET) was initiated in 1998 to conduct a major study to assess these issues through working groups, each tackling specific problems through highly structured research. To push this work forward and to promote sustainable development in Asia, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) has long supported ARRPET, which is coordinated by Asian Institute of Technology (AIT).

Today, ARRPET is coordinated by AIT Professor Ajit Annachhatre and offers an example of how the Institute can initiate and conduct regional research programs on issues relevant to Asia and its sustainable development. The programme’s major research themes include: Wastewater Treatment and Management; Sustainable Solid Waste Landfill Management in Asia; Improving Air Quality in Asian Developing Countries; and Industrial and Hazardous Waste Treatment and Management. Since its inception, the project has evolved into phases, with the first phase lasting from 2001-2004, and the current ongoing Phase II operating from 2004-2007. (Activities in ARRPET Phase II will last until 31 December 2007.)

Against this backdrop, last week AIT organized the ARRPET II Annual Review Workshop from 12-14 November 2007. The event held at AIT was sponsored Sida, and members of a visiting Swedish evaluation team for ARRPET participated at the three-day event. The main objectives of the workshop were to review the progress of research in the year 2007, to finalize the plan of activities for 2008, and to fine-tune the ARRPET Phase III proposal. The workshop was attended by Dr. Robert Nygård, Research Advisor of Sida in charge of the regional programme; Swedish Resource Persons; and the Sida evaluation team consisting of Prof. Peter Sundin, Dr. Bo Gohl, Dr. Cecilia Öman, Dr. Cecilia Petersen and Mr. Björn Wahlstedt. Dr. Anders Granlund, Counsellor/Senior Regional Environmental Advisor, Swedish Environmental Secretariat for Asia (SENSA), who is a member of the SERD Board and Institute-level Advisory Board, also participated in the meeting. The event also attracted over sixty researchers from within the Asian network of ARRPET.

ARRPET involves 18 National Research Institutions (NRIs) from 8 Asian countries, namely, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. Specific research is focused towards treatment and management of domestic as well as agro-based industrial wastewaters; pressing air pollution issues relevant to the developing countries in Asia; enhancing solid waste disposal practices and landfill technology for efficient and effective solid waste management in the region, as well as the removal of toxic and hazardous compounds from industrial discharges.

Through Sida’s support, ARRPET has helped strengthen and enhance technological resources and institutional research in terms of promoting environmentally sustainable development for the region. ARRPETS’s objective is to produce good quality research relevant to Asian region with a focus on hard science and technology. It also strives to mobilize and strengthen the competence and capacity of National Research Institutions (NRIs) participating in the programme for conducting research into national and regional initiatives. Ultimately it disseminates its results amongst policy makers with a view to have an impact on policy plans for controlling urban and environmental pollution in Asia.

Prior to coming to AIT, the Swedish evaluation team visited the eighteen NRI's in order to put together their report. At each stop, the team discussed the evaluation processes, conclusions, as well as inputs for the next phase. On November 9th, AIT President Said Irandoust took part in the “Asian Regional Research Programme on Environmental Technology (ARRPET) Phase II Evaluation Meeting”, which was attended by the Sida Evaluation Team comprised of Professor Peter Sundin, Dr. Bo Gohl, Dr. Cecilia Petersen, Dr. Bjorn Wahlstedt, and Dr. Cecilia Öman, and Dr. Anders Granlund, Counsellor / Senior Regional Environmental Advisor, Swedish Environmental Secretariat for Asia (SENSA).

The main workshop itself was opened by Prof. S. Kumar, Dean, School of Environment, Resources and Development (SERD). Prof. Ajit P. Annachhatre, Coordinator, ARRPET II offered introductory remarks, while Prof. Said Irandoust, AIT President, delivered a welcome address on behalf of AIT. Over the course of the three-day event, keynote addresses were provided by Dr. Robert Nygard, Research Advisor, Sida, and Mr. Anders Granlund, Regional Advisor, SENSA.

Amongst the many sessions was a poster session highlighting “Accomplishments of ARRPET”, two plenary sessions, and major project presentations. The Swedish resource persons facilitated extensive discussions on the Industrial and Hazardous Waste Treatment and Management (IHWRM) Project, the Solid Waste Project, the Air Pollution Project, and the Wastewater Treatment and Management (WWTM) Project. The fist day of the workshop also included a plenary session on the presentation from Sida’s evaluation team. Presentations on the outcomes of the parallel sessions by each project took place on November 14th, which were followed by comments from the Swedish resource persons and larger discussions. Dr. Robert Nygard offered final overview comments before the closing of the workshop.

The Government of Sweden is one of the most generous contributors to AIT and has provided tremendous support to the Institute through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) since 1988. President Irandoust offered a special word of thanks to Sida for its support and continued partnership with AIT. The President also thanked Professor Ajit Annachhatre, Coordinator of the ARRPET, and members of the Organizing Committee including Professor Chongrak Polprasert, Professor C. Visvanathan, Dr. Nguyen Thi Kim Oanh, for their excellent organization of the workshop.

Research Themes under ARRPET Phase II have included:

Major issues addressed by the project are the removal and recovery of heavy metals from industrial discharge and by phytoremediation; bioremediation of AOX from pulp and paper industrial wastewater; and biotreatment of persistent organic pollutants (POPs).

Sustainable Solid Waste Landfill Management in Asia

Some of the issues addressed by the project are identification of the phenomena governing the generation of landfill leachates and gas; management of landfill emissions and optimizing their treatment methodologies under different parameters; and pretreatment of MSW, rehabilitation of dumpsites.

Improving Air Quality in Asian Developing Countries

Major issues addressed by the project are long-term monitoring of toxic air pollutants and health effects; appropriate control technologies; modeling for regional integrated air quality management and forecasting; and integrated air quality management for target sources.

Wastewater Treatment and Management

Major issues addressed by the project are treatment and management of domestic wastewater; treatment and management, reuse and recycle in agro-based industries; development of wastewater nitrogen removal process with methane as electron donor; integration of wastewater treatment in ponds with phytoremediation; development of sustainable practices in agro-based industries; and bioremediation and reuse of marine shrimp farm effluent.

More details about the programme can be obtained from the website: http://www.arrpet.ait.ac.th.

For further information, please contact Prof. Ajit P. Annachhatre
(e-mail: ajit@ait.ac.th).