Environmental market conditions and business opportunities in key Latin American countries

business opportunities in six Latin American countries -- Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Venezuela -- are reviewed in this report. Specific issues covered include environmental policy, the current and prospective environmental market, market opportunities and competition, and market entry strategies; a regional overview of these issues is included. According to the report, the environmental markets in this region, while modest compared with the United States, are substantial and likely to expand as additional environmental regulations are implemented. The three countries with the most developed regulatory programs -- Mexico, Chile, and Brazil -- will account for 90% of the region"s environmental market in the near term. The most promising opportunities exist in high priority sectors such as improving water pollution control in Mexico and Brazil, reducing air emissions from copper smelting in Chile, and reducing mobile source emissions in Mexico and Chile. Opportunities also exist in wastewater treatment in Argentina, particulate controls for power plants and industry in Colombia, and pollution control and waste management for the petroleum sector in Venezuela. U.S. companies should work with local partners through technology licensing, local manufacturing, joint venture, or local subsidiary arrangements. U.S. market access should be strengthened by the fact that most of the countries accept U.S. standards and many of their technical people were trained in the United States. On the negative side, U.S. firms will continue to face competition from Japanese and European suppliers, as well as from local companies in more advanced countries like Brazil and Mexico.