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EPA AND MASSACHUSETTS TARGET EUROPEAN NATIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY EXPORTS

Release Date: 05/07/1999
Contact Information: John Haederle, EPA-New England (617-918-1009)

BOSTON - The Massachusetts Trade Office, in coordination with the Massachusetts Port Authority and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is sponsoring a five-day environmental trade mission to France, Ireland and Northern Ireland in late June to promote New England-based environmental technologies and services.

The mission will be led by Massachusetts Governor A. Paul Cellucci. Leading the environmental component of the June 21-25 trade mission will be John P. DeVillars, EPA's New England Administrator.

New England companies interested in learning more about this timely opportunity can call Stephen Loynd, Director for Europe Trade Programs at MassTrade at 617-367-1830, or John Haederle, Director of International Activities at EPA-New England at 617-918-1009.

With an expanding global market for environmental technologies that is estimated at $480 billion annually and growing, the Massachusetts Trade Office and Massport have good reason to target France, Ireland and Northern Ireland.

"This upcoming mission will support New England's $10 billion dollar environmental industry in two ways," DeVillars said. "First, we're aiming to capitalize on the infrastructure upgrades slated for the near future in Europe. Second, we're targeting particularly promising areas where there is a strong push towards U.S.-type environmental standards - countries such as Ireland, Northern Ireland, and France."

As the eighth-largest market for Massachusetts exports, France is implementing more stringent environmental legislation and European Union directives that are increasingly on par with U.S. standards and regulations. This will open up significant opportunities for U.S. state-of-the-art technologies in environmental laboratory instruments, emissions control equipment, incinerator design and construction, waste management, recycling technologies, landfill management techniques, waste incineration, bio-remediation of contaminated sites and air quality monitoring.

Environmental protection also has emerged as a high priority on Ireland's public policy agenda, particularly as more high-technology, chemical and pharmaceutical companies establish operations in the country. As a leading member of the European Union, Ireland is expected to spend more than $1 billion by early in the next century for new environmental technologies and equipment.

"This trade mission dovetails perfectly with the Clinton Administration's goal of promoting U.S. environmental technologies abroad through strong public-private partnerships," DeVillars said. "Exporting innovative environmental technologies brings benefits to the environment and the economy through high-paying jobs in the U.S. and better protection for the global environment".

"This mission is an outstanding opportunity to promote Massachusetts' environmental technologies, products and services to prospective customers in key Western European markets," Secretary Durand added.

In Northern Ireland, the dramatic progress in peace negotiations is increasing opportunities for American environmental technologies as well. As in Ireland and other EU countries, Northern Ireland is adopting increasingly stringent environmental standards that will require significant new spending on environmental infrastructure, including drinking water supplies, waste water treatment facilities, solid waste disposal facilities, coastal protection works and environmental research and development.

The trade mission will include meetings, demonstration sessions and targeted match-making appointments in Paris, Belfast, and Dublin. Participants will include high level public and private sector decision makers such as environmental ministry officials, private sector companies, and industry representatives.