The 4th International Trade Fair for Water, Sewage, Refuse, Recycling and National Energy Sources, or IFAT China, will take place two months earlier than scheduled and parallel the World Expo in Shanghai next June.

IFAT China was originally scheduled to kick off at the Shanghai New International Expo Center in July 2010, but the Shanghai office of the German trade fair organizer, Messe München GmbH, managed to move it forward to next June. The fair, set to run from June 4 to 6, will overlap with the start of Expo 2010.

Eugen Egetenmeir, Deputy Managing Director of Messe München GmbH, called it "a special bonus" for exhibitors and visitors at a press conference in Beijing on June 4.

"As an event focusing on environmental solutions, IFAT China is very much in tune with the motto of Expo 2010, 'Better City, Better Life,'" he said.

IFAT China is a comprehensive trade fair focusing on solutions in the areas of water supply, sewage treatment, waste disposal, recycling, air pollution control, environmental technology and more environmentally compatible energy sources in Asia. The event provides a business and networking platform for industry professionals from China and around the globe.

Its parent fair, IFAT, the world's biggest trade fair for environmental solutions, is switching from a three-year cycle to a two-year cycle because of "the growing environmental solutions market, investments and expectations for IFAT," he said. IFAT 2010 will take place from September 13 to 17 next year.

Compared with the parent fair, IFAT China covers a new area of recyclable energy and has balanced participation between Chinese and overseas exhibitors. IFAT China set a new record in 2008, attracting 362 exhibitors from 25 countries and regions and more than 10,500 visitors from 72 countries and regions.

Egetenmeir predicted that IFAT China 2010 would draw around 400 exhibitors.