The main objectives of the survey were to examine the environmental situations and policies in each country, to review the most pressing environmental problems, and to identify the demand for environmental technologies and the main end-users. The secondary objectives of the project were to examine the purchasing preferences of domestic buyers and to present the main competitors active on the local market in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
The content of the report is largely based on formal personal interviews with a cross-section of senior-level actors in the environmental technology market, principally from environmental businesses. Additional interviews were held with selected government agencies and with major environmental technology R&D centers. Up to 50 professionals were interviewed in each country, with approximately two-thirds representing the business sector. The research was carried out between October 1996 and April 1997.
While air pollution and poor drinking water quality are the most frequently cited environmental problems, management of wastewater and solid waste, pollution from the transport sector, and environmental degradation related to the energy sector also represent major challenges. Environmental pollution is particularly heavy in industrialized areas.
In practically all the surveyed countries, the two major environmental priorities set by the government are air pollution control and the protection of water resources and drinking water quality improvement. National environmental policies focus on emission sources, with the power generation sector and other large industrial emission sources (e.g. the chemical industry) being the main target of regulations. As regards the protection of water resources, the primary goals are to increase the percentage of the population connected to sewage disposal facilities, increase the proportion of wastewater treated by biological processes, and to provide treatment of wastewater from industrial sources.
In the near future, air pollution control will continue to be a major priority area, although there is expected to be a gradual shift in focus towards small and medium-sized air pollution sources. Air pollution from traffic will grow in importance, and in general, environmental impacts of the transport sector are expected to be more vigorously addressed. Water management, particularly wastewater treatment, are likely to remain priority areas. The construction of modern landfills is an expected long-term opportunity area. Accumulated hazardous waste that requires treatment and removal, and waste disposal sites that need remediation are also likely to remain significant priorities.
The bulk of total environmental spending is allocated to air pollution activities and water and wastewater projects. Waste management activities are the third largest priority area. Most state financing tends to be allocated to the construction of wastewater treatment and sewage facilities, and public water supply projects, while the remainder is allocated to air protection and waste management projects. Costs of projects in the latter two categories are covered mainly by individual industrial plants and municipalities.
The demand for environmental technologies tends to be driven by current priorities in state environmental policy, and by applicable regulations. Overall, demand for technologies was identified to be moderate in most categories, although some areas were identified where demand was high. Technologies related to waste management were high in demand in all countries except for the Czech Republic. Energy-related environmental technologies were found to be in high demand in Hungary and Poland, while technologies for water and wastewater treatment were in high demand in Poland and Slovakia. Demand in the noise, vibration and occupational health and safety sector was much lower.
Technologies related to industrial wastewater and hazardous waste featured prominently among high-demand categories. Municipal wastewater related technologies were also in high demand. It is expected that within the next few years, the focus will remain on end-of-pipe environmental technologies. There will be growing demand, however, for pollution prevention and waste minimization technologies.
Each country has recently enacted public procurement legislation that requires the formal announcement of tenders for all planned acquisitions involving the use of public money. However, at this point, most experts were skeptical as to its usefulness in ensuring the availability of information on project opportunities.
High quality, reliability and durability were the main advantages cited by respondents of foreign environmental technologies compared to domestic products. Other, albeit less significant, advantages included "user-friendly technology," and "easy to customize and adapt for specific local needs."
The greatest barrier to buying environmental technologies from abroad was the high price. Many respondents were seriously concerned about the access to after-sales technical services, and where it lacked considered it a significant disadvantage of foreign technologies. Two marketing-related problems were indicated as significant barriers by respondents, namely: "too little information about suppliers", and "the lack of reliable product information."
The environmental technology industry in the surveyed countries is clearly limited. A significant number of Western environmental technology firms are active in the given countries, through a permanent local presence, or by direct sales of their equipment. Foreign presence is particularly strong in the waste management sector, water supply and wastewater treatment.
Firms from Austria and Germany are most active and best known across all major technology sectors. German and Austrian firms hold the lead in supplying environmental technologies in terms of both quantity and quality, according to survey respondents. Other major foreign competitors varied by country and sector. French and Danish companies showed strong local presence. French companies, along with American and Scandinavian, were well represented in the water and wastewater sector. Scandinavian (primarily Swedish) and American firms played an active role in the energy and air sectors. However, no single company dominates in any single country.
The key factor, as indicated by the survey, behind a successful sale of environmental technologies is an in-country representative office and reliable after-sales services. It is almost essential to enter the market through an experienced local business partner. It was found that in most cases, the technical and environmental skills of local environmental professionals are well developed, and many firms are increasingly professional in their management and marketing approach.
Further improvements in sales prospects can result from an attractive financing package, such as low-interest foreign credit lines, partial refinancing of foreign deliveries, etc. There clearly is room for improvement in the marketing and circulation of information on foreign environmental technologies and suppliers.