The Chinese Online Writing Lab

1.19 Reporting the current status of related activities

Dear Mr. Jones,

Acknowledgement of previous correspondence

Your fax, dated February 18, regarding your concern about waste exchange and recycling, was much appreciated. As per your request, I would like to briefly describe some of the waste exchange and recycling activities currently underway in Taiwan, R.O.C.

Program background

The ROC's waste exchange and recycling program was adapted from the system used in the United States and was put into effect in January of 1988. Initial activities included the establishment of a computerized data file. A bimonthly publication, "Waste Exchange Information, was also founded. This publication not only makes public waste information provided by the industrial sector, but also features the abstracts of recent recycling technology developments in Taiwan. Enclosed please find a copy for your reference.

Challenges in implementing program

The industrial sector in Taiwan has undertaken many waste exchange projects in the last couple of years. However, some obstacles persist, owing to the fact that R.O.C. environmental laws and regulations are still under codification. Furthermore, the amount of personnel available to enforce such laws and regulations is insufficient. Promoting the concept that "waste exchange is one of the best choices for waste management" is of priority concern to us. Promotion of this concept will hopefully materialize into meaningful recycle/reuse and pollution abatement practices. Ms. Lin, the current project leader in this area, can provide you with further details.

Current activities

I should also tell you that the EPA of the R.O.C. is currently promoting a "Cherish the Land" project that is aimed at establishing a recovery/treatment system for 17 types of wastes. At present, wastes dealt with are PET bottles and discarded tires. You can contact Mr. Lin, Director of the Fourth Division, the Bureau of Solid Waste Control, EPA, R.O.C. (1, Hsiang-Yang Road., Taipei) for further details.

Also, the Industrial Development Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) has been quite successful in assisting the industrial sector develop better waste minimization practices. Mr. Lee, Deputy Chief of the Seventh Division of the Industrial Development Bureau of the MOEA in Taipei, can clarify any questions you might have regarding these activities.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of any further assistance.

Sincerely yours,

Writing exercise

Describing organizational activity. Using 1.19 as a model, write a letter describing a current organizational activity. Be sure to adhere to the following guidelines:

• Comment on the inquirer's inteest in the activity and/or objectives that your two organizations share.
• Describe any major developments or milestones in the promotion of the activity, e.g. data bank, newsletter, programs. Be sure to include the objectives of such activities or programs.
• Include the names and curriculum vitae of people who can provide further information.

1.20 Reporting the current status of related activities (shorter version of 1.19)

Dear Ms. Smith,

Your fax dated March 7 was received with much appreciation. Regarding your information on item 4 of the fax, I would like to introduce waste exchange activities in Taiwan, R.O.C.

Background of activities

The waste exchange information services in Taiwan were first offered in 1988 (Please refer to the program of the Fifth North American Waste Exchange Conference). The majority of funding initially came from governmental agencies; the industrial sector contributed only a small portion. These information exchange services have continued to gain respect in the industrial sector.

Difficulties encountered

However, local industry was cautious about waste recycling practices, since (a) the codification of environmental laws and regulations in Taiwan had not been fully developed, and (b) the related environmental enterprises (e.g., treatment/storage/disposal facilities and landfill sites) were not quite ready.

Current strategy

Because environmental regulations are increasingly stricter, the government has actively promoted industrial waste minimization; we expect the local industrial sector to undertake such practices to a larger extent in the near future.

Information request

The Taiwan Waste Exchange Center is particularly interested in acquiring more information about the various management system models of waste exchange, as well as the recycling regulations of other countries. Information regarding successful cases of waste exchange and recycling is also of priority concern.

Please feel free to let me know if I can be of further assistance.

Sincerely yours,

Writing exercise

Reporting current activities. Using 1.20 as a model, write a letter reporting the current status of an activity your organization is involved with. Be sure to adhere to the following guidelines:

• Briefly describe the background of this activity with respect to the difficulties encountered in developing such an activity.
• Propose the solutions or steps to be taken to eliminate/alleviate such difficulties.
• State your organization's need to upgrade the level of this activity.

1.21 Reporting the current status of related activities

Dear Mr. Thompson,

Thank you for your inquiry into the current status of ozone layer protection efforts in Taiwan. I would like to briefly describe some of the related activities undertaken by our organization, the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI).

Organizational background

ITRI is a non-proft research and development institute funded primarily by government and industry. Governmental funding is used to develop and perform national mid- to long-term application/research programs, as well as to assist medium and small-sized enterprises. On the other hand, private (industrial) funding is invested in jointly cooperative projects and technical assistance.

Governmental relations

In light of the importance of protecting the ozone layer and of the need to alleviate the possible economic impacts of CFC phaseout, the government of the Republic of China has assigned ITRI to conduct a long term project to research application technologies that have been implemented to protect the ozone layer since 1988.

Previous efforts in the area of concern

During the past five years, ITRI has published a monthly CFC Newsletter, five volumes of a "Handbook on CFC Utilization," and more than twenty special investigation reports, so as to provide local industries with updated information on alternative technologies. More than twenty seminars on technology development have also been organized by ITRI to assist domestic industries alleviate CFC problems.

ITRI also continuously visits hundreds of industries to collect information on the current status of CFCs and the major obstacles we will face in the future. ITRI also provides promotion and other services related to the reduction and recovery of CFCs and the use of new alternative technologies.

Technological developments

Major achievements attained so far include the following:

1. Refrigerants
   A. Development of a CFC refrigerant recovery machine and successful transfer to four local companies
   B. Completion of performance evaluation of automobile air-condition systems and refrigerators with HCFC blends
   C. Completion of a feasibility study and computer simulation on replacement of R-12 by R-134a
   D. Development of non-CFC mobile refrigerant technology and its successful transfer to ABC Corporation
   E. Completion of two sessions of non-CFC refrigerant substitution technology, with 60 attendants
   
2. Foam blowing
   A. Completion of a study aimed at replacing CFC-12 with HCFC-22 on PE/PS foaming
   B. Completion of a study of PU integral skin aimed at replacing CFC-11 with HCFC-123 or HCFC-141b
   C. Assistance provided to DEF Corporation in their evaluation of the introduction of HCFC-141b on rigid PU refrigerator foam
   
3. Cleaning
   A. Completion of a study of IPC standard tests of electronic test boards
   B. Completion of an evaluation of aqueous, semi-aqueous, and no-cleaning processes
   C. Establishment of a DEMO Center for electronic cleaning to assist local industry in the evaluation of cleaning effectiveness
   D. Successful introduction of a non-cleaning process at five local electronics plants
   E. Successful assistance provided during the introduction of an IPA cleaning process to an optical lense plant
   
4. Chemical analysis and testing for CFCs
   A. Development of analytical methods for analyzing CFC residues found in foam products
   B. Offering of certification services for the export of foam products
   C. Development of an analytical technology for refrigerant purity
   ITRI's efforts have resulted in a significant ODS phaseout in Taiwan, with a 30% reduction, in 1992, over that of the base-line consumption level. Enclosed please find two tables summarizing ITRI's major achievements in CFC phaseout for the 1993 Fiscal Year (July 1992 to June 1992). Acknowledgements from the EPA, GHI Corporation, the Tools and Machinery Association, as well as news clippings on ITRI's related work are also appended.
   

In addition to assisting the government in related policies and regulations (e.g., CFC phaseout strategy, CFC control strategy, and the recycling and reuse of mobile refrigerant CFC-12), ITRI also took an active role in organizing Taiwan's Association of Ozone Layer Protection. In January 1993, the association was established to continue work on ozone layer protection and to integrate resources from industrial associations, research institutes, academia and government agencies.

Related international activities

ITRI has also sent delegations to attend the Montreal Protocol Meetings, where our delegations exchanged information and established collaborative relations with representatives from many countries. The R.O.C.'s willingness to participate in global ozone protection efforts, as well as to comply with the Protocol was expressed during those meetings.

I hope that this above information clarifies some of our involvements in the area of ozone layer protection. I would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Sincerely,

Writing exercise

Describing current activities. Using 1.21 as a model, write a letter describing the current status of a particular activity in your organization. Be sure to adhere to the following guidelines:

• Give a brief description of your organization, including its objectives.
• Describe your organization's involvement in a particular activity.
• Point to areas of expected involvement in the future

NOTE:

Reporting the current status of related activities國內相關成果說明 belongs to correspondence involving technical cooperation.
Common elements in correspondence that involves technical cooperation include:

Stating your organization's intention of seeking cooperation

Simply stating the motivation behind your organization's desire to form a cooperative relationship with another organization helps avoid future confusion. Examples are provided below:
"I'd like to propose a technological information exchange between our two organizations regarding environmental pollution prevention-waste minimization."
"We are seeking potential licensors of the Autoclaved Lightweight Concrete (ALC) product technology on behalf of local manufacturers in Taiwan, R.O.C."
"In addition to our in-house R&D, we are also considering the possibility of technology transfer, from a foreign company, of a technology that is ready for (or close to) commercialization and that is already under patent protection."
"We are currently involved in a gear box development program and are seeking foreign partners who are capable of developing gear boxes or who can engage in a cooperative technical program with automotive manufacturers in the R.O.C."
"We are anxious to develop long-lasting cooperative relationships with manufacturers such as yours."
"We recognize that the continued sucess of our work depends on our sharing and exchanging experience with similar organizations."

Giving background information about your organization (e.g., mission ,major activities, and achievements)

Providing background information about your organization allows the other party to know whether your interests and expertise are compatible with theirs:
"Our organization, Mechanical Industry Research Laboratories (MIRL), is a subsidiary of the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) established by the government of the Republic of China(R.O.C)."
"One of our missions is to aid the local industrial sector by upgrading technology levels. One of our strategies is to license technology from abroad."
"The experimental results generated so far in this project have already been most helpful in Taiwan's environmental protection work."

Providing suggestions on how to initiate cooperation

"I am looking forward to hearing your ideas or suggestions regarding this information exchange opportunity. I would also like to arrange for a ten-day technical visit to your organization this upcoming May as the initial step of our cooperation."
"If you are interested in licensing this technology, please send the above mentioned information to the above address for evaluation."
"Further discussion, or a possible visit by members of ITRI to your production facility, would seem to be the appropriate next step."
"I suggest that ABC Corporation send a technical expert to UCL before the end of July and give a presentation, regarding the product development of this technology, to our scientists and technical staff."
"Please let me know if there are any areas of common interest you would like to discuss."

Commending the achievements and reputation of an organization

Sincerely acknowledging or commending the other party's success in a particular technology expresses your intention to contribute toward as well as learn from the collaborative relationship:
"Your corporation has a long tradition of providing outstanding engineering TP (e.g., Noryl) that has various properties and excellent quality."
"ABC Corporation is recognized as the global leader in developing, producing and marketing transdermal drug delivery systems."
"ABC's Biotechnology Group has developed some interesting products that we would like to understand in more detail before reaching the licensing stage."
"Stat-Rite 2300 is an excellent anti-static polymer that blends well with other thermoplastics and can be used in ESD applications. We believe that this permanent anti-static plastic has a strong market potential, especially in light of the emerging electronics industry in Taiwan."

Describe the reason(s) for technical cooperation

More than merely attempting to describe your company's interest, try to outline specific plans or describe what has been achieved so far:
"A new facility is to be established in Taiwan to design, develop and produce auto transmission parts. Therefore, we are seeking partners for technical cooperation through licensing and joint venture agreements."
"We are currently involved in a gear box development program and are seeking foreign partners who are capable of developing gear boxes or who can engage in a cooperative technical program with automotive manufacturers in the R.O.C.