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TIME Magazine Names Sim Environmental Hero

WTO Founder Jack Sim gives an insightful presentation on sanitation conditions in third-world countries during the International Code Council's 2008 Codes Forum in Palm Springs, California.

A champion of ending poor sanitation conditions worldwide‚ Jack Sim‚ founder of the World Toilet Organization (WTO)‚ has been named one of the Heroes of the Environment by TIME magazine. Sim, a retired construction and real estate entrepreneur, has worked hard to get rural villagers to realize the importance of toilets despite the embarrassment factor.

“I know that in many cultures, it’s impolite to talk about toilets," said Sim. "Given a choice, many people will even pretend that certain basic human functions do not exist. Yet, toilets are an integral part of hygiene and sanitation, and have implications on so many aspects of life—ranging from health to the environment to how ‘cultured’ or ‘developed’ a society is.”

The WTO was was formed in 2001 to change attitudes about toilets being an embarrassing topic, and to bring to the forefront the critical issue of poor sanitation that afflicts 40 percent of the world’s population. The WTO is a growing network of 91 member organizations from 46 countries. The WTO’s largest annual event, the World Toilet Summit & Expo (WTSE), will be held November 4-6 in Macau‚ China‚ and you can be part of it. The summit and expo will focus on the lack of funding for sanitation projects worldwide and the tremendous revenue opportunities these projects present to businesses worldwide.

A key partner in this year’s WTSE is the International Code Council’s Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas (PMG) Group. The PMG Group is sponsoring an education track at the Summit on Global Sanitation Policies and Standards and hosting the Code Council’s USA Pavilion at the Expo. Approximately 10‚000 key prospects in Southeast Asian building departments, public health and hygiene agencies‚ architects‚ engineers‚ contractors‚ facilities managers and distributors are expected attend. To be an attendee or exhibitor‚ click here.

The Code Council's Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas (PMG) group signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the WTO in March during the Code Council's 2008 Codes Forum in Palm Springs, California. The MOU identified mutual areas of interest, and helped the organizations to work cooperatively to leverage impact, increase reach and maximize the efficient use of each respective organization's resources.

During a special PMG industry reception, Sim spoke on the issues of sanitation and water-borne diseases in third-world countries, the effects of sanitation on tourism, the role of public toilets in urban settings, and the effect of proper sanitation on productivity and economic growth.

"The stark reality of what is happening today around the world is that 40 percent of people have no toilets," said Sim. "It is a ridculous number, but it is true. In China, India, the former Soviet Union countries, Africa, Latin America and in many Asian countries, people are defacating openly. Such unsanitary systems kill an average of two million children every year, because no one pays attention to sanitation. At any one time, 50 percent of the world's hospitals are occupied by people who have diseases based on contamination or water-born diseases. So what are we doing? We are bringing this great unspeakable subject of toilets and sanitation into the center stage of the world media."