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Loading ...Swiss to Help Minas Prepare E-waste Diagnosis
Monday, March 9th, 2009The government of Brazil’s Minas Gerais state wants to regulate waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE, or “e-waste” or “e-scrap”), and with their new state waste policy law, they have ample authority to do so. There’s just one problem: they are not sure of the full extent and nature of the e-waste problem in their […]
Update: Easier Buying Recycled
Friday, March 6th, 2009Parana’s public entities will finally get their recycled paper products. A few months ago I posted about the problems the southern Brazilian state was experiencing in its pioneering efforts to stimulate recycling by requiring all state agencies, entities and offices to buy only paper products with high recycled post-consumer fiber content (50%). A November 2007 […]
Parana to Tetra-Pak: Fulfill Your Commitments
Wednesday, March 4th, 2009Just seven months ago Paraná’s Environment Secretary, Rasca Rodrigues, was singing the praises of aseptic packaging producer Tetra Pak for its implementation of a deal negotiated in 2007 concerning the firm’s responsibility for the waste problem in the state related to its packaging. Now he’s charging them with failing to live up to their commitments. […]
Rio to Require Take-Back of Fluorescent Lamps
Thursday, February 26th, 2009The Environment Minister for Rio de Janeiro (RJ) State, Marilene Ramos, has sent to governor Sérgio Cabral for his signature a draft decree to implement a 2007 law requiring the take-back of end-of-life fluorescent lamps. The law required manufacturers, importers, distributors, resellers and vendors of fluorescent lamps to provide consumers with containers for the collection […]
US$71.5 mil. for Water and Sanitation in Espírito Santo
Tuesday, February 24th, 2009From the World Bank: World Bank Approves US$71.5 Million Additional Finance for Water and Coastal Pollution Management The World Bank today approved an additional finance of US$71.5 million to the State of Espírito Santo, in Southeastern Brazil, to carry out activities under the Espírito Santo Water and Coastal Pollution Management Project, which aims to provide […]
Not Always Easy Exporting Ethanol
Saturday, February 21st, 2009To hear some biofuel critics tell it, ethanol from sugarcane is being produced in Brazil without regard to its environmental impacts, and certification requirements in export markets such as Europe do not influence such behavior. Hearing of cases such as the one below gives me doubts about such charges. The sugar and alcohol producers in […]
You Know Climate Change Has Arrived as an Issue in Brazil…
Friday, February 20th, 2009…when a prominent Rio samba school arranges for carbon offsets so that it can declare itself Brazil’s first “carbon neutral” entrant in the Carnaval competition! All kidding aside, the Niterói-based Unidos do Viradouro samba school has announced that when it competes in Rio’s famed Sambódromo, all greenhouse gases emissions associated with its performance will be […]
Stay at Marriott, Save the Brazilian Rainforest?
Wednesday, February 18th, 2009From Marriott International: Green Your Marriott Hotel Stay for $1/Day: Help Preserve The Rainforest and Combat Climate Change In a bold move to help improve the climate, Marriott International, Inc. is launching a new way for guests to “green” their hotel stays. Now, when you book a room on www.Marriott.com or visit http://www.marriott.com/green-brazilian-rainforest.mi, you can […]
Rio Grande do Sul Bets on Unusual Waste Treatment Technology
Friday, February 13th, 2009The government of the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS) just signed a letter of intent with Rio de Janeiro-based Mundo Limpo (“Clean World”) to install ten unusual municipal solid waste treatment plants. The two parties say that the pact should involve R$300 million in investments that generate about 10,000 direct jobs. […]
HP Opens First Printer Cartridge Recycling Facility in Latin America
Monday, February 9th, 2009HP has just raised the stakes in producer responsibility for printer cartridge manufacturers operating in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). HP and Lexmark already were ahead of other manufacturers in offering cartridge recovery programs in the region. HP has now gone one step further — it just opened Latin America’s first printer recycling center […]