The Kick-off and first NWG meeting for the Project on Reducing Uses and Releases of Chemicals of Concern, Including POPs, in The Textile Sector was held at the Hilton Hotel in Bandung, Indonesia from 8 to 9 February 2023. This Kick-off meeting activity is a follow-up to the results of the meeting of the focal points from 4 (four) countries namely Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Vietnam with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) as the person in charge of the project carried out by UNEP which was carried out in Pakistan on November 2022 which was also attended by BCRC-SEA as the implementing agency. At the national level, the project is under the coordination of the Directorate of Hazardous Substances Management, KLHK in collaboration with the Directorate of the Textile, Leather and Footwear Industry, Ministry of Industry. The target output of the project is a significant and documented reduction in the use, release and exposure of chemicals of concern (CoCs), including POPs in the textile industry in 4 (four) countries namely Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan and Vietnam.
This Kick-off meeting activity was also the first NWG meeting held to convey the roles and functions of the NWG in project implementation, as well as submit the first year’s project work plan as well as introductions to all members. NWG will be involved in several decision making, such as determining the pilot project, evaluating the results of the textile industry inventory, and others.
NWG has duties and responsibilities to:
1. Carry out coordination between related ministries/institutions in the framework of planning, implementing, monitoring, evaluating, and approving the implementation of project activities;
2. Provide input and direction on the planning and implementation of project activities so that they are always on track;
3. Provide input and direction in the implementation of monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of project activities; and
4. The Director of Hazardous Substances Management reiterated that all members of the NWG work together to ensure that the implementation of this project is based on country-driven principles, by prioritizing the needs of the country.
