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South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) Midterm Review Workshop of RETA 6361: Managing Hazardous Wastes

RETA 6361: Managing Hazardous Wastes, financed on a grant basis by ADB in the amount of $400,000, was approved on 23 December 2006. The RETA covers four countries — Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal. The RETA was formulated by taking into consideration the possibility of having a waste exchange, and a common hazardous waste treatment for participating countries. However, considering the varying levels of problems associated with waste management in the four RETA member countries, especially hazardous wastes, the RETA has been designed and agreed to provide different outputs, but will lead to harmonizing its rules and guidelines on managing hazardous wastes.

The activities for each country being funded by the RETA 6361 are as follows:

• For Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal, the RETA assists the Governments in undertaking an inventory of hazardous wastes and in formulating a draft policy for managing hazardous wastes.
• For India, the RETA supports the Government in reviewing and updating the hazardous waste management regulation by providing a staff consultant to assist directly the Division of Hazardous Substance Management of the MOEST; and formulating the guidelines for private sector involvement in managing hazardous wastes.

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The midterm workshop will discuss the following topics:

• results of the inventory of the hazardous wastes and completion of the inventory works;
• scope of assignment of the national consultants for drafting the policy for managing hazardous wastes; and
• potential needs of the RETA member countries for hazardous waste treatment facilities, either common facilities for RETA member countries, or individual facilities for each country.

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1. Report on the status of hazardous wastes inventory;
2. draft report on inventory of hazardous wastes for Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal; and
3. TOR for policy specialist consultant.

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The meeting will bring together around 20-25 participants from the SASEC participating countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal) and ADB comprising:

• SASEC Environment Working Group Members;
• RETA 6361 Government Counterparts;
• RETA 6361 International and National Consultants; and
• ADB Team