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| The OCETA Quarterly Newsletter - Volume 1, Issue 1, November 2006 |
A message from the CEO... |
ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE:
 OCETA awarded $1M to deliver a three year program as part of the Ontario Research Commercialization Program |  EFSOP™ from Techint Goodfellow Technologies Inc. |
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OCETA awarded $1M to deliver a three year program as part of the Ontario Research Commercialization Program OCETA has been awarded funding in the amount of $1M from the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation to deliver a three-year program as part of the Province’s Ontario Research Commercialization Program (ORCP). Launched in June 2005, the ORCP is an important component of the Provincial Government's comprehensive strategy to help business innovators take their products to market. OCETA’s specific ORCP project initiatives will be in the area of building Industrial Receptor Capacity. This objective will be achieved based on delivery of four major project components. The first involves delivery of "Discovery Workshops". These bring together industry, academia and government researchers to identify environmental research opportunities. The outcome is the identification of “demand pull” research projects to commercialize new technologies that address end-user market requirements. The second project component will involve performance benchmarking and verification to define market sector needs and encourage acceptance of innovative technologies. By linking benchmarking with performance verification, a new process can be created to develop quantitative performance standards that can be independently verified to improve success rates in technology transfer and commercialization. In the third project component, OCETA will be expanding and refining its current range of business services to SME technology developers to also include researchers at the university and college levels. OCETA will market and deliver these services through the 12 Regional Innovation Networks (RINs) that have been established across Ontario. The RINs are regionally based, multi-stakeholder not-for-profit organizations that have been designed to build linkages between industry and research institutions and connect SME companies to government funding programs and commercialization support services. The fourth project component is in the area of Proof of Principle Research. To support this activity, OCETA has entered into a partnership with Precarn Incorporated and the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE). (See the news release at About Precarn Under the joint project, which will be administered by OCETA, Precarn will provide $300,000 over three years, which will be matched by OCETA and OCE. The fund will support projects led by Ontario-based SME companies that deliver environmental solutions to customers in Canada and internationally. Each project will involve collaborations between the SME company leading the development of the technology, an end user and a university or college. Eligible technologies are those that use intelligent systems for environmental aplications. For additional information on the ORCP, click on the link below to the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation Web site: For further details on OCETA’s project components in the ORCP, contact Neil Burnett, VP of Technology Services at 905-822-4133 ext. 229, Email: nburnett@oceta.on.ca
Related Innovation Announcements Premier's Catalyst Awards Precarn Funding Boost
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EFSOP™ from Techint Goodfellow Technologies Inc. For over ten years OCETA has provided a comprehensive range of technical and business services to Ontario Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) clients. These companies have been leaders in innovation and technology development and OCETA has provided valuable assistance with a variety of business and financial services. OCETA continues to work with existing clients on new initiatives as well as introducing many other SMEs to its services. Techint Goodfellow Technologies Inc (TGTI) Techint Goodfellow Technologies, of Mississauga, ON, is the industry leader in post combustion analysis. The EFSOP™ system (Expert Furnace System Optimization Process), is the world’s most reliable off-gas-based process control system for Electric Arc Furnaces (EAF).
OCETA and Techint Goodfellow Technologies OCETA, partnered with Techint Goodfellow Technologies, Unisearch Associates Inc, and the University of Toronto, to form a consortium, with funding from Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) to develop and demonstrate the EFSOP™ technology for other combustion-intensive industries to improve energy efficiency and decrease greenhouse gas emissions. With a total project value of $14 million, TGTI is leading this consortium to develop new sensors and instruments, model new combustion environments, develop novel process control strategies and validate the results of the project. Three new industries will have demonstration projects – basic oxygen furnace (BOF) steelmaking, cement production and thermal power generation.
OCETA has previously worked with Techint Goodfellow Technologies to produce a Technology Profile on EFSOP™ and ETV Canada has also undertaken a detailed evaluation of the process and has issued a performance claim verification certificate. SDTC and OCETA Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) finances and supports clean technologies which provide solutions to issues of climate change, clean air, water quality and soil. Two of the most critical links in the innovation chain are development and demonstration in full scale real-world situations. SDTC supports private sector groups that, together, represent the entire supply chain - researcher, product developers, manufacturers, and end product customers. SDTC’s review process before and during the project ensures that its sustainable development goals are met in each project. OCETA is a partner in several SDTC-supported consortia. Our role is to assist the groups with issues relating to performance evaluation and validation, in addition to the provision of commercialization expertise, such as definition of target markets and business strategy, during and after the SDTC project. OCETA assists in monitoring overall performance and preparing quantitative assessments of the results arising from these projects. For further information on SDTC, visit: www.sdtc.ca.
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| Energy Benchmarking in the Ontario Wine Industry
Energy is an integral resource to the wine making process. For instance, managing temperature and controlling the heating and cooling of wines can use significant amounts of energy. It is both a tool for the winemaker, and a cost of doing business. To improve the energy performance of the Ontario wine industry, OCETA developed an energy benchmarking and best practice project with the Wine Council of Ontario (WCO). The Project was an industry-led initiative by the WCO and received broad-based funding support from many organizations including the Agricultural Adaptation Council, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Conservation Bureau of the Ontario Power Authority, Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. and Natural Resources Canada’s Office of Energy Efficiency. Other key members of the project team included Altech Environmental Consulting Limited, who led the energy benchmarking component, and Two Hemispheres Environmental Consulting Inc., who prepared the Energy Best Practice document. The Project was delivered as an initiative of Sustainable Winemaking Ontario: An Environmental Charter for the Wine Industry developed by the WCO in 2004, and was completed in three phases:
One major outcome of the Project was the development of meaningful energy benchmarks that can be used for measurement, analysis, feedback and reporting to allow the Ontario wine industry and individual wineries to continuously monitor and reduce its energy intensity. Energy benchmarks were developed for total energy usage, and energy usage by major processes. The major process steps included: destemming, crushing and pressing; fermentation, clarification and stabilization; and aging and storage. The main process services included: space heating and cooling; process heating and cooling; and lighting. To establish energy benchmarks and enable comparisons between wineries, all energy consumed was converted to kilowatt-hour (kWh) equivalents. The benchmark established for total energy usage was 0.55 kWh/L of wine processed. The benchmarking findings showed a relationship between the size of wineries and energy consumption. The smallest wineries were less energy efficient than medium and larger wineries. However, no relationship was found between the energy intensity for wineries based on the age of the operation, or the product mix. This means that it cannot be assumed that an older winery is less energy efficient than a newer winery.
When interpreting energy benchmarking data and making comparisons between wineries, caution should be exercised. Winemaking is an art as well as a science and different winemaking philosophies can affect the amount of energy used. For example, managing temperature in the wine making process is critical for quality and taste. The type of heating and cooling approaches used by the winemaker has a direct impact on the amount of energy consumed. For example, some wineries locate their storage tanks outside during the winter, which can lead to reduced energy costs in maintaining lower temperatures. Other wineries may not be able to locate their tanks outside due to space constraints or security concerns, or choose to use other approaches for cooling. For more information, contact Kevin Jones, VP Marketing & Business Development at OCETA. Tel: 905-822-4133 ext. 232. Email: kjones@oceta.on.ca Click on the link below for information on the Wine Council of Ontario:
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| OCETA leads the way in delivering industrial sustainability programs
Since 1999, OCETA has delivered several government-sponsored incentive based sustainability programs to assist industrial companies in improving their environmental performance and economic competitiveness. Under these programs, financial and technical assistance is provided to industrial clients to identify and implement opportunities for energy and water conservation, pollution prevention and environmental best practices. Current and Past Programs delivered by OCETA:
For additional information on these programs, contact Kevin Jones, VP Marketing & Business Development at OCETA. Tel: 905-822-4133 ext. 232. Email: kjones@oceta.on.ca Toronto Region Sustainability Program takes a triple bottom line approach As Canada’s largest urban region, the Greater Toronto Area houses an array of industrial manufacturing activities. As a result, smog, greenhouse gas emissions, toxic discharges to the sewers and hazardous wastes threaten the region’s human health and the environment. The Toronto Region Sustainability Program, delivered by OCETA has been successful in achieving environmental reductions while enhancing business bottom line for its manufacturing clients. Since its inception in 2000, the program has assisted its clients in eliminating 600 tonnes of VOCs, 15 tonnes of fine particulate matter, 2 tonnes of metals, 30 tonnes of toxics, 1,400 tonnes of hazardous waste, 1,000 tonnes of process waste, and 1,700 tonnes of greenhouse gases annually, while curbing water consumption by 300,000 tonnes a year. In addition to the impressive environmental benefits, program clients have saved over $3 million with remarkable average returns on their investments of less than one year. The program offers one-stop pollution prevention (P2) technical assistance, with a financial incentive of up to 50 per cent cost share (maximum of $ 4000) to conduct a P2 Assessment and Action Plan that will develop cost efficient solutions to address environmental priorities (i.e. toxics, sewer discharges, smog precursors, green house gases, and hazardous wastes) targeted by all levels of government. Much of the program’s success can be attributed to the establishment of partnerships with government funding agencies to promote adoption of pollution prevention practices across various industrial sectors. The program utilizes a roster of pre-qualified P2 consultants who carry out the assessments. With proven track records in pollution prevention, these consultants identify the root causes of priority pollutants and waste streams in order to optimize process efficiencies with improvements in operating practices, technologies, and input materials. As of October 2006, 56 manufacturing facilities in the GTA have participated in the program. 90% of the 44 program clients that have completed their P2 assessments are committed to implementing all or most of the identified pollution prevention options. Even though OCETA offers program clients the choice of remaining anonymous, some businesses are proud of their results and have chosen to publicly share their achievements through case studies which are posted on the program website at www.oceta.on.ca/TORSUS/studies.htm. For additional information on the Toronto Region Sustainability Program, visit the website at www.oceta.on.ca/TORSUS or contact Fred Granek, Vice President, OCETA, 905 822 4133 x224, E-mail: fgranek@oceta.on.ca.
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| Pollution Prevention Projects yield environmental reductions and major savings for Bowne of Canada
Through the Toronto Region Sustainability Program, this medium-sized lithographic printer commissioned a pollution prevention assessment with EcoSafe, a pre-qualified consultant on the program roster. The company has since implemented all six P2 projects recommended in the assessment report, which involved changes to their processes and operating practices. In the pre-press area, Bowne’s management installed a chemistry recycling system on their computer-to-plate (CTP) processor and retrofitted their wash water cycle thereby reducing water consumption by 50-70%, saving up to 1,080 tonnes of fresh water annually, reducing GHG emissions by 2.6 tonnes, and curbing hazardous waste generation by 3 tonnes. In addition, the installation of pH neutralizing equipment to remove subject sewer use by-law pollutants ensured compliance with the City of Toronto’s Sewer Use By-law. Together, these process changes saved the company $44,000 in chemical purchases and waste haulage charges. In their press room, the fountain management system recovered 40,000 litres of VOC-contaminated spent fountain solution for re-use, eliminating almost 40 tonnes of process wastewater effluents and 1.5 tonnes of VOCs. This P2 option saved, and will continue to save Bowne $ 40,000 annually, in waste haulage and fountain concentrate costs.
The assessment also recommended incorporating best operating practices to manage used, often solvent-saturated, printer’s towels and wipers, which were the company’s largest annual waste management cost (in the order of $30,000). Together, the optimization of various processes at Bowne increased press up-time as the facility was able to increase productivity and minimize maintenance requirements. For more information on this business success story, contact Fred Granek, Vice President, OCETA, 905 822 4133 x224, E-mail: fgranek@oceta.on.ca.
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| Transforming Brownfields into Productive Community Assets
OCETA is actively engaged in the remediation and brownfield sector, providing leadership awareness, education and training, and decision support tools to transform brownfield properties into productive community assets through aboutREMEDIATION (AR) and the Canadian Brownfields Network (CBN).
One capacity-building initiative, in partnership with the Province of Ontario, was the delivery of three very successful brownfield workshops Building Capacity in Ontario’s Municipalities. More than 300 people from various municipalities attended and were provided with tools and information to bring contaminated lands back to productive use. Another CBN initiative is advocating for the removal of Crown liens and tax arrears – a major barrier to redevelopment in Ontario. Under current legislation, purchasers are responsible for outstanding debts owed by previous property owners. In collaboration with the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, the CBN delivered a national working session on the subject. A summary report was distributed to federal and provincial governments who are now considering their role and required action. The Province of Ontario has proposed legislative changes that would allow municipalities to advertise eligible brownfield properties as “free and clear” of all provincial crown liens upon sale. Brownfield redevelopment offers considerable environmental, social, and economic benefits. Brownfields can generate economic activity, increased tax revenues and lower municipal infrastructure costs. Other benefits include reduced health and safety risks, preservation of outlying agricultural land through reduction in urban sprawl, improved air quality through reduced air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions in urban areas, and improved quality of life in neighbourhoods. Brownfields exist in almost every Canadian community. Clearly we must continue to advocate for and foster brownfield redevelopment as an essential component of sustainable communities. For further information on aboutREMEDIATION and the Canadian Brownfields Network, contact Tammy Lomas-Jylhä, Business Manager, aboutREMEDIATION, at 905-822-4133 ext. 234, Email: tlomasjylha@oceta.on.ca.
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| Environmental Performance Verification: ETV Canada's strategic vision to increase stakeholder involvement and promote harmonization and cooperation
The ETV process builds vendor confidence and provides the marketplace with the assurance that environmental performance claims are valid, credible and supported by quality, independent test data and information. Technology vendors apply to the ETV Program for verification of their environmental performance claims. If the performance claim is verified successfully, the company is issued three documents: a Verification Certificate; a Technology Fact Sheet; and a Final Verification Report. The graduate is also entitled to use the ETV logo to market their technology in Canada and abroad.
Over the past two years, the focus of the ETV Program has shifted to take into account the needs of technology users. Through the application of sector- and program-based performance benchmarking, credible, stakeholder-driven environmental performance criteria can be established to help guide the verification process and thereby facilitate the transparent reporting of performance information in support of decisions related to technology selection, application and deployment. To date, ETV Canada has managed performance benchmarking initiatives in the areas of manure management, mercury amalgam separation and arsenic removal. Other performance benchmarking initiatives are underway or being planned, for example, in the area of vehicle fleet operations and emissions reductions. In this regard, ETV Canada is working closely with the vehicle fleet community to create a transparent mechanism for screening technologies to ensure they meet environmental objectives established by municipal and institutional fleet buyers. In Canada, there has been renewed interest in revitalizing the previously established ETV Inter-Provincial Working Group as a way of accelerating the permitting and approvals processes for innovative new technologies. This would help overcome some of the inter-provincial barriers faced by technology developers in Canada. Another area of interest is green procurement, where ETV could be used to pre-qualify technologies as part of the government purchasing process. There is also increasing international interest in the Canadian ETV model and in the global harmonization of ETV programs. EC and ETV Canada are working to augment these efforts. The principal elements of this strategy are: sharing of protocols and test methods; mutual recognition or accreditation of verification entities; and country-to-country reciprocity where practical. In July, 2005 the 1st ETV International Forum was hosted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in Washington, D.C. This Forum brought together representatives from the European Union, the U.S., Canada and other countries, as well as from various industrial trade associations and international organizations interested in environmental technology verification. The 2nd Forum was hosted this year in Vancouver by EC as a pre-GLOBE 2006 event. ETV Canada delivered the Forum on behalf of EC. The event offered international delegates the opportunity to share their experiences with verification, to develop global alliances and to contribute to the goal of harmonizing environmental technology verification around the world. Such network-building will serve to accelerate the deployment and implementation of environmental technologies. The European Union (EU) has launched its Environmental Technology Action Plan (ETAP), within which environmental technology verification is a key component. As part of this, the EU is undertaking a number of pilot ETV initiatives with an initial investment of more than €20 million over the next few years. The EU approach incorporates elements of the Canadian ETV model. The U.S. EPA has been operating an ETV program for over 10 years with an investment of over $100 million. The US EPA ETV Program is delivered through a stakeholder process and targets technology areas which address environmental risks. To date, over 350 technologies have been verified and 84 technology-specific protocols have been developed. Other countries such as Japan, Korea and Bangladesh also have verification programs in place and have expressed an interest in international harmonization. In addition, some of Canada’s key trading partners such as India and China are exploring the possibility of establishing their own programs to screen technologies and to ensure that credible, transparent performance information is available to support the selection and application of effective environmental solutions. For more information on ETV Canada, please go to www.etvcanada.ca.
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| Bangladesh Environmental Technology Verification Support for Arsenic Mitigation (BETV-SAM) Project
There is no single solution to this problem. The Government of Bangladesh’s National Policy on Arsenic recognizes that different solutions will be needed in different locations in the country, depending on such factors as groundwater characteristics, geological conditions, income levels, costs, etc. Arsenic removal technologies provide one type of solution. These technologies enable households or communities to treat their well water by themselves, by pouring (or in the case of community sized systems, pumping) their well water through the device. Until recently, little was known about the effectiveness of arsenic removal technologies. Organizations like the World Bank were reluctant to invest in the mass diffusion of what were for all intents and purposes, unproven technologies. The Government of Bangladesh decided that these technologies needed to be tested and validated, before they could be sold in Bangladesh. OCETA received funding from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) for a project designed to address this problem. The project is entitled Bangladesh Environmental Technology Verification, Support to Arsenic Mitigation (BETV-SAM). OCETA is carrying out this project in cooperation with the Bangladesh Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and the Bangladesh Department of Public Health Engineering. Technology Verification is a specific approach to technology validation. Its methods and procedures allow an organization to carry out a rigorous, objective and transparent evaluation of a technology's ability to meet the performance claim made by its manufacturer, based on test data. This project is providing:
The project will contribute towards reducing the consumption of arsenic-unsafe water and help prevent arsenicosis, by verifying technologies that have been proven effective. The knowledge that OCETA is generating in this project will also be of benefit to other people in the region affected by similar arsenic contamination. For further information on BETV-SAM, contact John Wanczycki, Vice President International Development, at 902-475-3610, Email: wanczycki@oceta.on.ca.
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| OCETA organizing a workshop on the "Role of Environmental Performance Verification for Safe Water in Nepal"
OCETA is organizing a workshop in Nepal to address the institutional mechanisms required for an effective operational response to arsenic mitigation for drinking water and irrigation. The two-day workshop will be held on November 30 and December 1, 2006 at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development. The objectives of the workshop include: (1) Presentation of a comprehensive backgrounder on environmental performance verification (EPV) and its role in technology selection and assessment from an international perspective; (2) Examination of the potential application of EPV in Nepal; (3) Update on the current status of arsenic mitigation in Nepal; and (4) Development of an "Action Plan" arising from the workshop activities. The main emphasis of the workshop is to share information on technology performance verification and identify the institutional mechanisms that are required to achieve long term “arsenic safe water” goals in Nepal. The necessary strategies to build capacity in this area will also be discussed. The format of the workshop will include a number of presentations by key stakeholders. Discussion sessions will be held to encourage partnering between the various agencies involved in the workshop. In addition to stakeholders from Nepal, representatives from select agencies in other arsenic-affected countries in South and East Asia are also being invited to contribute. A holistic approach provides stakeholders in Nepal with insights from other agencies involved in the arsenic issue, encourage information sharing and cooperation, and strengthen a regional network amongst arsenic-affected countries. The event will help foster the establishment of transparent and accountable approaches for addressing water-related challenges and opportunities, thereby improving capacity in Nepal to provide leadership and take action to implement effective water resources management approaches. The workshop is being managed by OCETA and is supported by the following organizations:
The workshop agenda and list of speakers and participants is available at www.oceta.on.ca/nepal_workshop_06/agenda.htm. Please contact dmcnairn@etvcanada.ca for more information.
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| Border Green: Constructing US-Mex Enviro Project Partnerships Breakfast Seminar, Wednesday 6 December 2006, 7:30 AM to 10:00 AM Lucent Showcase, 1380 Rodick Rd., Markham, Ontario, Canada Presented by ONEIA in partnership with Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada Over $750 Million USD is awaiting investment in water/wastewater projects along the US-Mexico border, with additional funding for air quality improvement, water remediation and waste treatment. Canadian environmental and engineering companies can compete for and secure these lucrative opportunities through the smart use of partnerships, utilizing alternative funding channels, and taking advantage of the available project market intelligence combined with the lessons learned from recent developments. Join our American environmental project experts from a leading contractor, TCB | AECOM (www.tcb.aecom.com), and the North American Development Bank (NADB, www.nadb.org) to gain insights on how your company can expand its capacity, reach and revenue from developing the "other border". $45/person, additional information and registration at iscm.ca/green. Participants will be provided an opportunity to meet one-on-one with our speakers following the conclusion of the formal program. Lead Partners: Event Host: Event Partner: Participation:
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© 2006 Ontario Centre for Environmental Technology Advancement 2070 Hadwen Rd., Unit 201A, Mississauga, Ontario, L5K 2C9 Phone: 905.822.4133 - Fax: 905.822.3558 |
The EFSOP™ system is a proprietary process, which measures and analyzes EAF off-gases (CO, CO2, H2, O2) continuously for real-time closed-loop process control of EAF steelmaking, resulting in improved operations, energy savings, lower conversion costs and safety benefits. Control algorithms and computer models based on combustion chemistry have been developed to dynamically improve EAF operating efficiency. For more information on TGTI and the EFSOP™ process control system please email 
The first implementation is a full scale demonstration project of the EFSOP™ technology in the BOF steelmaking industry. This industry has been selected due to its major potential impact on greenhouse gas emissions in Canada. It is anticipated that the successful demonstration of this technology will lead to potential applications in other high temperature combustion processes such as the Cement Kiln Process and Thermal Power Generation.
The Project included site visits of individual wineries to develop energy baselines and usage profiles. Baselines were compared to the industry-wide benchmarks and enabled individual wineries to see how they were performing relative to others in the industry. Opportunities to implement energy efficient best practices in each process step and service were also identified for each winery.
Through these programs, OCETA has facilitated the completion of energy efficiency, eco-efficiency and pollution prevention assessments in more than 350 industrial companies in Ontario. These assessments have identified more than 1500 opportunities to improve the environmental performance of industrial companies. A major component of these programs has included the design and delivery of more than 40 customized awareness sessions and training workshops for industry. These workshops have been used as a means to enhance industry awareness on the benefits of sustainable business practices.
Six pollution prevention (P2) projects implemented by Bowne of Canada saved the firm $151,000 per year and reduced annual process wastes by 40 tonnes, hazardous wastes by 3 tonnes, water use by 1,200 tonnes, and emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and greenhouse gases (GHG) by 20 tonnes and 2.6 tonnes respectively. The average payback for these projects was just 4 months.
Furthermore, by installing a solvent recovery distillation unit in the press room, Bowne was able to recover 80% of the solvent used in this process, thereby reducing VOC emissions by 16 tonnes per year, with annual savings of over $ 65,000 in solvent purchasing and waste haulage costs.
Brownfield redevelopment is an essential component of sustainable communities and urban revitalization. Brownfields are vacant, underused, or abandoned properties, typically contaminated from past industrial or commercial activities. They are usually found in prime locations, such as downtown or on a lakefront, and serviced by existing infrastructure. Chances are that brownfields exist in your community. Think about the vacant service station on the corner, the abandoned factory that you pass on your way to work, or the old railway yard down the street. Now imagine if these were replaced by housing, office buildings, or another valuable use. However, barriers to redevelopment, such as liability, technical standards, and financing can make this transformation difficult. These barriers need to be addressed.
To help raise awareness, AR collaborated with government agencies and private industry to develop the Ontario Municipal Brownfield Redevelopment Toolbox as a pilot project for Canadian communities.
The toolbox aids municipalities in understanding the Ontario brownfield process and their role in motivating redevelopment. As part of this toolbox, AR develops and delivers custom workshops, seminars and networking sessions to government and private industry on brownfield remediation and redevelopment. Our most recent workshop, Financing Your Brownfield Reclamation Project featured presentations from industry leaders, networking opportunities, and an interactive panel session which informed and engaged participants on all aspects of financing.
Since 1997, 53 verification certificates have been awarded under the Canadian ETV program. This includes six new certificates recently issued at GLOBE 2006. Vendors are entitled to use these certificates to help legitimize the environmental performance claims of their technologies.
Over 20 million people in Bangladesh are consuming groundwater from wells contaminated with unacceptable high levels of naturally-occurring arsenic, above the Government of Bangladesh limit of 50 parts per billion. This problem exists in other countries in the region that are part of the Himalayan watershed (parts of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Cambodia, Vietnam, etc), however, it is particularly severe in Bangladesh, where there have already been tens of thousands of documented cases of arsenicosis. The World Health Organization has called this crisis the largest case of mass poisoning in history.