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Loading ...Brazil Updates Mandatory Energy Label for Air Conditioners
Saturday, August 1st, 2009Brazil recently adopted a new set of rules for conformity assessment and energy effficiency labeling for air conditioners. Among other things, National Institute of Metrology, Standardization and Industrial Quality (Inmetro) Portaria 215, adopted on 23 July 2009 and published in the federal gazette on 27 July: extended the rules and compulsory labeling requirement (see sample […]
Update on Mexico’s Appliance Exchange Program
Monday, July 27th, 2009In January I posted about how Mexico has joined Brazil and Colombia in launching programs to get citizens to hand in their old refrigerators and/or air conditioners for newer, more efficient models. Now the Energy Secretariat (SENER) reports that as of 23 July nearly 71,000 appliances had been replaced under the program. The states with […]
Argentina Sets Minimum Efficiency Levels for Refrigerators
Sunday, May 24th, 2009Argentina is one of the few Latin American nations (along with Brazil and Mexico) which has long (since 1999) had a mandatory energy efficiency labeling program for lighting and certain household appliances (refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, clothes washers, clothes dryers, dishwashers, water heaters). Even so, to date the mandatory labels have only been issued for refrigerators, […]
Brazil Launches HCFC Elimination Program
Wednesday, May 6th, 2009Brazil has just launched the Brazilian Program for the Elimination of HCFCs (PBH) to end that nation’s use of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). HCFCs became the substitute of choice for many of the chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) controlled under the Montreal Protocol (on substitutes that deplete the ozone layer) used a refrigerants in such products as freezers and air […]
More Argentine WEEE Proposals
Sunday, March 22nd, 2009And the momentum for regulating e-waste keeps on building in Argentina… This week saw two bills proposed in Argentina on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE or “e-waste” or “e-scrap”) this week, one at the provincial level and the other at the federal. At the federal level, a bill was introduced in the national congress […]
Mexico Launches Massive Refrigerator, Air Conditioner Exchange Program
Sunday, January 11th, 2009Mexico is joining Brazil and Colombia in launching programs to get citizens to hand in their old appliances for newer, more efficient models. President Calderón and Mexico’s Energy Secretariat (SENER) have announced a 750 million peso expansion of its Ahorra Energía para Vivir Mejor (“Save Energy to Liver Better”) pilot program which it has run […]
Can Rio Negro Implement an E-Waste Regime?
Tuesday, December 30th, 2008Last July the Democratic Front bloc in the legislature of Argentina’s Rio Negro province (RN) introduced a bill to tackle the growing problem of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE, or “e-waste” or “e-scrap”) in the province. The state Environment Council (CODEMA), which is designated in the bill as the implementing and rule-making authority should […]
Getting a Handle on E-Waste Data in LAC: Argentina
Wednesday, August 6th, 2008The Data Problem One of the key challenges in formulating a reasonable and effective policy on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) is figuring out how much there is, what type of WEEE it is (different WEEE pose different hazardous material/waste management challenges), and what is happening to […]
Argentina and Brazil Propose HCFC Phaseout
Tuesday, March 20th, 2007Synopsis in English: Argentina and Brazil have submitted a joint proposal to the secretariat of the Montreal Protocol (on substances that deplete the ozone layer – ODS) calling for negotiations on phasing out use of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). HCFCs became the substitute of choice for many of the chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) controlled under the Protocol in such […]