Your Opportunity to Speak up for Global Sanitation

With 40% of the world’s population having no access to personal sanitation, it’s no wonder the United Nations declared this year the International Year of Sanitation.

This year’s World Toilet Summit & Expo (WTSE) will focus on the lack of funding for sanitation projects worldwide in conjunction with the United Nations Millennium Development Goal (MDG) on sanitation. Topics include the untapped sanitation market of four billion people, health and hygiene, and portable and eco-sanitation. The WTSE is a global event that is important to the entire building industry and plays a role in public safety.

The International Code Council’s Plumbing, Mechanical & Fuel Gas (PMG) Resource Center will host an education track and the Code Council USA Pavilion during the WTSE, November 4-6 at the Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel in Macau.

“The International Code Council is proud to play such an integral role in the summit,” said Jay Peters, the Code Council’s Executive Director of PMG. “Helping to better educate professionals on global sanitation issues and opportunities during the International Year of Sanitation couldn’t be more critical or rewarding.”

To ensure the track and summit are as meaningful and successful as possible, the Code Council is inviting manufacturers, academia, standards developers, associations and others interested in the advancement of safe sanitation and development to submit papers for consideration. The track, “Sanitation in an Urban Environment,” relates to global sanitation policies and standards. Submit your papers now for immediate consideration.

A main attraction at the Expo, Code Council PMG Pavilion exhibitors will enjoy pre-promotional initiatives and booth space within the pavilion at very favorable rates.

For more information, to submit papers for consideration (submissions are due no later than May 5), to participate in the education track, or to sponsor or exhibit, contact the Code Council’s PMG Resource Center at pmgresourcecenter@iccsafe.org or 1-888-ICC-SAFE (422-7233), extension 4PMG.

The WTSE track will feature high-level discussions relevant to key industry players within the plumbing industry. Topics for discussion geared toward achieving safe sanitation worldwide include:

• Establishing general standards for toilet construction in the private and public sectors
• Sharing of best practices used to expand awareness of the importance of proper sanitation
• Capacity building where sanitation is of concern
• Methods by which different organizations can work together to train staff, and building and maintaining proper facilities
• Exploring the various sanitation technologies and solutions currently available in the marketplace
• Determine how best to implement these solutions globally
• Provide insights to new technologies and their practical application

Jack Sim, founder of the WTO, is excited about the opportunity this affords those in need. “The partnership between the WTO and the Code Council’s PMG creates a synergy that, not only increases the awareness of our organizations’ like-minded goals, but actually has the potential to offer immediate results that are needed to progress the United Nations’ MDGs.”