Asia/Pacific Conference Highlights Progress.(Brief Article)

Varied Stages of Development

THE FOURTH ANNUAL ASIA/PACIFIC Responsible Care meeting, held in Taipei in May, was a valuable look into how the initiative is moving forward in the region. According to industry officials at the conference, progress differs in each country--from well-established programs in Australia and New Zealand to new efforts, such as Taiwan's (p. 128). Asia's financial crisis is also having an impact--at least in some countries; however, at 380, attendance at the conference was close to that at the Tokyo meeting in 1997.

Although implementation is at an early stage, the "time is good for Responsible Care in Malaysia," says Bill Jenkins, Eastman Chemical's Asia/Pacific manager of health, safety, and environmental services, who spoke on behalf of the Chemical Industries Council of Malaysia (CICM; Kuala Lumpur). CICM has introduced three codes so far and aims to introduce six by the end of 1999.

Malaysian government agencies have helped spur interest in the codes by attending CICM's regional road shows. Jenkins says Responsible Care is being developed along …