ID21 - Insights Issue 30

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		Knowing how to change - environmental policy learning and transfer

		Rolling out climate change policy lessons

		Pass it on. Using and confusing environmental health research

		Regional rules, national waves

		Whose wild? A human stake in Africa's conservation heritage

		What goes on between regulator and regulated?

		Small scale industry and sustainable development in Asia and Africa

		Sites for Sore Eyes

June 1999 Insights Issue #30

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Small scale industry and sustainable development in Asia and Africa

Small-scale industries provide a vital source of employment and incomes for many millions of people in developing countries. It is often assumed (though on scant evidence) that they have little environmental impact. But they can have detrimental effects locally. As numbers of small-scale industries increase, the need grows to address pollution problems, the efficiency of energy and raw materials use and the health and safety hazards industries may pose. It now seems likely that small-scale producers will increasingly be called to account for their environmental performance, particularly when trying to access credit or enter export markets. Development agencies and financial institutions that support small enterprises are also likely to demand information concerning environmental impact in order to justify their backing.

Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG) researchers have been seeking appropriate methods and indicators to help small-scale industries and their sponsors collect and present this information and show how small-scale producers can contribute to environmentally sustainable employment creation. Based on case studies of brickmaking in Zimbabwe and textile dyeing and finishing in Bangladesh, the study comparatively assessed environmental impact and management in relation to different scales of production in each sector. Key findings included:

An 'inventory' approach measuring 'pollution per unit of output' is a potentially useful tool for assessing environmental impact across different scales of production.

Reliable data about the environmental effects of small producers, such as emissions of pollutants, can be obtained for decision making in a cost-effective way.

Data about environmental impacts, including ways emissions affect local people's health, can be gathered but the cost is high.

Alternative approaches are needed to reduce environmental damage by small scale industries, as statutory regulations and standards alone are unlikely to work. These alternatives might include direct incentives to encourage a cleaner production approach that cuts waste and energy use and saves the business money. Voluntary compliance could bring together stakeholders, including consumers, neighbours, local authorities and industry associations, to share information about pollution impacts and develop environmental awareness. Training and awareness raising are central to both approaches, creating a vital role for development agencies in supporting stakeholder involvement in the enforcement of standards.

Andrew Scott
Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG)
Bourton Hall
Bourton on Dunsmore
Rugby
Warwickshire
CV23 9QZ
UK

Tel: +44 (0)1788 661100
Fax: +44 (0) 1788-661101
Email: andrew.scott@almac.co.uk

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ESRC Global Environmental Change Programme

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