Improving the sustainability of regional cleaner production programs

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Abstract The sustainability of cleaner production programs requires long-term co-operation between governments, both local and at State level, the university and industry. The presented approach to sustaining cleaner production activities in a region consists of three phases: the initiation, the basic capacity level and the sustainability phase. The initiation phase demands initial funds from donors, experts from universities and case studies in industry. The basic capacity level for further popularization and dissemination of cleaner production principles is achieved by establishing and operating a cleaner production center and/or spin-off company. The former operates primarily in a promotional and research environment, while the latter is typical of the business and development environment. Besides establishing long-term co-operation with stakeholders, a local cleaner production program should be started in the sustainability phase and only on the basis of its results can regional programs be set up to ensure the sustaining of cleaner production activities in the region. The first cleaner production project in Slovenia was initiated by the Graz University of Technology and the University of Maribor. The project was supported by the Austrian and Slovene Governments. Later on proposals were made to found a national cleaner production center. UNIDO was willing to support it but the Slovene side did not show interest in time and the project was thus not realized. When the Slovene Government eventually was willing to support it, UNIDO would not be ready to provide the financial means any more. Consequently, the local government and the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering joined forces and a new cleaner production project in the textile industry was launched. The project was then expanded to include a consulting company, which resulted in the emerging of a spin-off company now located in the Styrian Technological Park. This spin-off company has already initiated and carried out numerous projects in the fields of cleaner production and rational energy consumption. Alongside the university, consulting companies and industry, it also works in collaboration with international companies.