EuroChlor lauds Summit move to improve clean water access

05 September 2002 17:38  [Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (CNI)--Euro Chlor, the association representing western European chlor-alkali producers, on Thursday welcomed a commitment made by countries at the World Summit on Sustainable Development to improve access to clean water.

On his return from the Summit in Johannesburg today, EuroChlor's regulatory and environmental affairs director Arseen Seys said: “It was good to see the Summit set a measurable goal of eradicating poverty with halving by 2015 the proportion of the world’s population without safe drinking water.”

At the Summit, the global chlorine industry underscored its commitment to help lesser-developed regions obtain access to clean, with news of a Euro41m ($40.2m) public-private partnership to provide drinking water and sanitation to rural West African villages in Ghana, Mali and Niger. 

The partnership, which includes the World Chlorine Council (WCC), United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) and the UK charity WaterAid, expects to provide 825 new water boreholes, 100 alternative water sources and 9000 toilets for more than 500 000 people.

EuroChlor is a founder member of the WCC, a non-profit making network of regional and national chlorine industry associations and their member companies.  An initial in-kind contribution from WCC of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe for wells, chlorine for water disinfection and education materials on sanitation and hygiene is valued at Euro300 000.

By: Russell Ong
+44 208 652 3214

For the latest chemical news, data and analysis that directly impacts your business sign up for a free trial to ICIS news - the breaking online news service for the global chemical industry.

Get the facts and analysis behind the headlines from our market leading weekly magazine: sign up to a free trial to ICIS Chemical Business.

Printer Friendly