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Loading ...A Computer Waste Bill for Rio Grande do Sul
Friday, October 2nd, 2009A bill on information technology (IT) waste has been introduced in the state legislative of the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS) that is similar to a law adopted in 2008 by its neighbor, Paraná. The bill would require producers, distributors and vendors of “informatic equipment” to create and maintain programs for […]
More Brazilian States Opt for Smoke-Free Environments
Tuesday, September 29th, 2009The push for smoke-free environments continues to march across Brazilian states — how long before federal legislators decide to extend such protections nationwide? Today the governors of the southern state of Paraná (PR) and the western state of Amazonas (AM) signed new tobacco control laws, joining Ceará (CE), Rio de Janeiro (RJ) and São Paulo […]
A WEEE Bill for Amazonas
Saturday, September 26th, 2009This week Amazonas (AM) became the latest state in which a bill on “technological trash” (lixo tecnologico or e-lixo) – the Brazilians nickname for what is known elsewhere as WEEE or e-waste — has been introduced. Unlike bills recently introduced in the northeastern states of Bahia and Pernambuco, which are based primarily on a Law on […]
Improving State-Level Environmental Governance in Brazil / Melhorar Gestão Ambiental Estadual no Brasil
Friday, September 25th, 2009Temas Observation: Note how this loan/project is being marketed. The headline trumpets “green growth” when in reality the program is more about strengthening environmental governance/institutions, arguably not as sexy a topic. The Bank argues that this is about ensuring economic growth is as green as possible through good regulation by competent, properly-equipped environmental regulators…seems like […]
A New Recycled Content Standard for Paper/Board in Brazil
Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009As more and more public administrations (municipal, state, federal) in Brazil mandate the procurement and use of recycled paper, whether by law or green procurement policy, the pulp and paper industry has seen the writing on the wall and asked Brazil’s technical strandards-setting body, the Brazilian Association of Technical Norms (ABNT), to formulate a Brazilian […]
Mobilizing $30 Million to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases in the Americas / Movilizar US$30 millones para luchar contra enfermedades tropicales desatendidas en las Américas
Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009From the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB): IDB, Global Network to mobilize $30 Million to fight neglected tropical diseases Announcement made during Clinton Global Initiative today The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases announced today their commitment to mobilize $30 million from the public and private sectors to fight neglected […]
São Paulo to Ban 14 Pesticides?
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009I’ve mentioned in the past that Brazilian states sometimes get impatient waiting for the federal government to act on environmental issues and elect to take their own action, which eventually prods the feds into action (sometimes because industry complains about conflicting state rules on the same subject). It looks that may be about to happen […]
Brazil to Build Tobacco Testing Lab for Latin America / Brasil vai construir laboratório
Monday, September 21st, 2009Brazil’s National Sanitary Vigilance Agency (Anvisa) announced today that in 2010 it will construct a Control Laboratory for Tobacco-Derived Products on Ilha do Fundão, the artifical island home to “University City” and the Federal University of RJ (UFRJ) in the metropolis of Rio de Janeiro. The R$8 million Laboratory will be the reference center for […]
A New Twist to Recyclables for Electricity Programs
Monday, September 21st, 2009I’ve posted in the past about innovative Brazilian programs in the states of Ceará (CE), Mato Grosso (MT) and Rio de Janeiro (RJ) to get people to turn in recyclables in exchange for getting a reduction in their monthly electric power bill. One of the programs I liked was Consciência EcoAmpla, run by Endesa‘s subsidiary […]
Rio Adopts Law on Used Oil and Motor Oil Filters
Friday, September 18th, 2009The governor of Rio de Janeiro (RJ) state today signed a law regarding the final disposition of used lubricating oils and their filters. The new law, rather short and simple, does four things: limits the sale of lubricating oils to those establishments equipped with “an adequate area” and “necessary specific equipment” for the collection of […]