The US environmental industry has a remarkably large number of resources to help it domestically and internationally. The industry has been studied extensively by trade promotion organizations and there is good data about the numbers, sizes, and expertise of firms. This page presents information about the industry first, because the government and other support systems in place are a response to the industry's diversity, scope and needs.
The US National Environmental Technology Strategy was published by the White House in 1995. It has overviews of the environmental industry and its role in society today and visions for the roles in the future.
The Environmental Technology Industry - Overview
is about 30 pages and has statistical and other information about the industry.Meeting the Challenge: U.S. Industry Faces the 21st Century is the most comprehensive report about the US environmental industry.
The U.S. Industry & Trade Outlook 2000 has a 18-page chapter on Environmental Technologies and Services that can be downloaded online for a small fee. Its conclusions are quite similar to those in the Meeting the Challenge report.
Environmental Technologies Trade Advisory Committee has prepared these reports of interest to exporters:
Other countries study the US environmental industry for the benefit of their own environmental exporters. The Canadian Embassy in Washington DC publishes a nice collection of information about the US environmental industry, including a large directory of environment-related trade associations. The Canadian Environmental Industry Association provides many links to resources that touch on the industry in the US and around the world. The Joint Environmental Markets Unit of the UK Dept of Trade and Industry has extensive information on environmental markets around the world.
Extensive information about the US environmental industry, including a number of databases of companies that can be searched by topic and technology, are available from the US Environmental Industry Trade Magazines.
Commercial Market Research on the Environmental Industry
Environmental Business International offers strategic market and business information to the environmental industry, including detailed reports on sectors of the industry.
Environmental Data Resources, Inc. offers market research reports on the environmental industry and an email newsletter on industry news, RFPs and RFQs, etc.
The EI Digest: Hazardous Waste Marketplace is the premier source of business research focusing on the management of hazardous waste.McIlvaine Company publishes newsletters and market research reports on air, water, energy and remediation sectors.
Efforts to coordinate support for the US environmental industry received a major boost when the Environmental Technology Task Force was established in September 1996 by the White House Council on Environmental Quality. The Task Force developed the National Environmental Technology Strategy.
The most comprehensive on-line collection of information from the Federal government for US environmental exporters is the Environmental Technologies Industries (ETI) office within the U.S. Department of Commerce. ETI's goal is to facilitate and increase exports of environmental technologies, goods and services by providing support and guidance to U.S. exporters. It supports the Environmental Technologies Trade Advisory Committee, which produces reports for policymakers. The ETI website has extensive resources, including directories, market research reports, country profiles, industry associations and more.
The US Trade Development Administration helps American companies develop commercial environmental opportunities in emerging markets. The agency invests in feasibility studies, training grants, technical assistance, orientation visits and deal-making conferences. Their website has a search engine that finds many environmental projects and references around the world. It also operates the the Global Infrastructure Projects Database to assist in the tracking of worldwide projects in the power, transportation, water and environmental, industrial, and commercial sectors.
The US Environmental Protection Agency Office of International Activities also promotes environmental exports, especially of professional services and expertise. It has published its EPA Strategy for Promoting US Environmental Exports, and provides extensive information through its website. EPA produces the International Cleaner Production Cooperative. The Cooperative is designed to provide cooperative resource sharing for the rapidly growing global network of cleaner production and pollution prevention on-line data. Available through Envirosense (the leading pollution prevention web resource), the Cooperative is the main Federal web channel to other environmental organizations around the world.
The US Agency for International Development supports environmental programs around the world, including many that assist US environmental companies with exports and business development. The USAID and the Environment website is the main portal for access to a tremendous amount of information about countries, environmental conditions and needs, organizations and support programs. USAID manages the Global Technology Network, a program aimed at matching the technological needs of companies in developing countries with solutions from small- and medium-size U.S. companies. GTN specifically includes Environment & Energy Technology and enables US companies to receive targeted trade leads from overseas.
The Global Network for Environment and Technology is funded by the US Department of Energy. It has national and international news, market information, project leads, extensive information about DoE environmental technology needs, and a section on Environmental Export Resources.
Environmental Business Council Resources is a directory of many state and regional organizations that promote the environmental industry.
The National Association of State Development Agencies has several programs promoting environmental exports around the world, with support from USAID and US EPA.
The US Pollution Prevention Roundtable has directories of pollution prevention and environmental technology specialists around the country.
The Northwest Environmental Business Council
represents firms in the Northwest USA.GNET is an affiliate of the Global Environment & Technology Foundation, a non-profit organization promoting the development and use of innovative technology to achieve sustainable development. GETF has several international networks with extensive online resources.
The Environmental Industry Associations represents about 2,000 companies that manage solid, hazardous, and medical wastes; manufacture and distribute waste equipment; and offer related pollution-prevention services.
The ETI office hosts a list of about 50 associations.
Financing information for the environmental industry is available from the US EPA's Environmental Finance Program, which has extensive reference materials for financing. EPA's Guidebook of Financial Tools provides information on how to finance environmental projects with a major focus on cleanup, redevelopment, and environmental infrastructure development.
The EPA Small Business Gateway for Finance has many links including state financial assistance programs.
The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) provides financing for U.S. exports. Ex-Im Bank has established an Environmental Exports Program which increases the level of support it provides to exporters of environmentally beneficial goods and services, as well as to exporters participating in foreign environmentally beneficial projects.
The International Finance Corporation is a major source for financing information for large international projects.
The Environmental Capital Network brings together environmental companies and investors and offers services to both. It has an extensive page of links.
EnviroTech Financial, Inc. is a private company specializing in international financing for environmental exports.
PrivatizationLink gives information on privatization opportunities in emerging markets
The International Investment Promotion Network helps firms find partners.