Borouge and Borealis launch Water for the World™ in Asia

Borouge and Borealis, leading providers of innovative, value creating plastics solutions, will participate in the inaugural Singapore International Water Week Water Expo, June 24-26, 2008, and unveil a dynamic exhibition stand to introduce their Water for the World™ programme to address the global water challenge.

Water for the World is Borouge and Borealis’ initiative to help address the water challenge identified by the United Nations Millennium Development Goal—to halve the number of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation by 2015—and it is a first for the plastics industry. More than 1 billion people around the world are currently without sustainable access to fresh water, and over 2 billion lack basic sanitation. Asia is particularly exposed to the water crisis with a third of the population lacking fresh water access and half with no access to proper sanitation.

Visitors to the Borouge and Borealis stand at Singapore International Water Week can learn how the companies are fostering local knowledge and forging partnerships across the whole value chain in Asia, the Middle East and Europe to provide sustainable solutions to sanitation and water availability.

The stand will showcase community water projects in India (to bring drinking water to villages in the Malkapur and Andhra Pradesh regions), water industry training in Vietnam, how pipe standards in Tanzania are being boosted through knowledge sharing, and how the Gulf Plastics Pipe Academy is setting new standards of excellence for plastic water and sewage pipe systems in the Persian Gulf.

Visitors to the stand can also speak with partners who are cooperating with Borouge and Borealis around the world. Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP) representatives will share progress on community projects in Madagascar, Mozambique, Kenya and Bangalore. The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) will also be present to explain initiatives such as the Global Water Tool and the Water Scenarios. A representative from the Stockholm Water Institute will also be present to discuss the Stockholm Water Prize, co-founded in 2007 by Borealis.

“Borouge congratulates Singapore for its foresight to establish a forum to discuss the water challenge, and we are proud to participate,” says Harald Hammer, CEO Borouge Marketing Company. “We expect this to be an excellent gathering of people committed to making a difference to water and sanitation in Asia, and we look forward to showing how we are creating value through innovative solutions and sharing our knowledge and expertise.”

“We are delighted to see the global water challenge being taken up by key decision makers in Singapore,” comments Borealis Chief Executive Mark Garrett. “Raising awareness, promoting best-practices and sharing expertise will be key to securing sustainable water access in the region. This is central to our Water for the World™ programme, and we are committed to making a substantial contribution in the region to improve water access, preservation and management.”

Mr Garrett is also Co-Chairman of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s water project.

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