Industrial pollution control policies in Asia

In collecting the material for this survey, the authors have drawn on material collected in the countries themselves, particularly in India, the Philippines and Thailand, and from USAID"s own programs and studies carried out in Asia. The survey evaluates the effectiveness of different instruments used for environmental regulation, and analyzes the factors that have influenced their effectiveness. It particularly examines the use of market-based instruments and comments on their role in the country"s industrial pollution control strategy in this region. Finally it offers some suggestions for ways of making pollution control more effective and more efficient. Five countries have been selected for a detailed analysis of their policies: China, India, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand. Sections 2 through 6 deal with each of them respectively. Section 7 offers general comments on other countries in the region and some comparisons with the five listed above. Finally section 8 offers conclusions and recommendations for policy reform in the area of environmental regulation. It should be noted that the pollution control framework is in a state of flux in Asia; changes in policies are being made all the time. Hence it cannot be guaranteed that the measures reported here will still be in place next year, or that new policies will not have replaced existing ones. However, where changes are being actively considered, and where this is known, it has been pointed out. (Author abstract)