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Loading ...ANVISA Proposes Ban on Endosulfan, Partial Ban on Acephate
Friday, September 4th, 2009Following up on its review of 12 pesticides banned or severely restricted in other nations, Brazil’s National Sanitary Vigilance Agency (ANVISA) is proposing a ban on the use in that country of the active ingredient endosulfan in pesticides used in growing cotton, cocoa, coffee, sugarcane and soybeans. The proposal, released for public comment today, also […]
A Green IT Law for Brazil?
Thursday, August 27th, 2009Yesterday the Environment Committee and Consumer Protection (CMA) of the Brazilian Senate discussed a draft committee opinion on a green IT bill just introduced last May. The committee rapporteur for Senate bill (PLS) 173/2009 recommended its approval. The CMA decided to hold a hearing on the bill before deciding on the draft opinion, with invitations […]
More Progress on P2R2 in Brazil
Monday, August 3rd, 2009Earlier this year I posted about how slowly Brazil’s states were taking up their role under the National Plan for the Prevention of, Preparation for and Response to Environmental Emergencies Involving Hazardous Chemicals Products (“P2R2”), and more recently about Environment Ministry (MMA) efforts to move things along. Now comes some new signs of movement among […]
Espirito Santo Adopts Law on Products Containing Heavy Metals
Thursday, May 21st, 2009Last month Paraná (PR) adopted a law on mercury-containing products, now Espírito Santo (ES) has adopted a law on products containing heavy metals. Which Brazilian state is next, and will it adopt PR’s single-substance approach, or ES’ broader wider net? Points of Confusion Article 1 of the brief ES law requires “suppliers” and distributors of […]
Brazil Bans DDT
Wednesday, May 20th, 2009Brazilian President Lula just signed a law banning all manufacture, import, export, stocking, sale or use of the organochlorine pesticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, more commonly known as DDT. The law also requires (a) the incineration of all existing DDT stocks in Brazil within 30 days; (b) federal agencies to complete a study within two years of the environmental […]
A Symbolic Ban of Asbestos
Thursday, January 29th, 2009Brazil’s Environment Minister, Carlos Minc, just banned asbestos. Well, not quite. He announced at the World Social Forum that has banned, through an administrative rule (portaria), the use of any product containing asbesto fibers in construction or goods acquired by the Environment Ministry (MMA) and its associated organs: the national environment agency, IBAMA, the Chico […]
Espirito Santo Prepares for Chemical Emergencies
Thursday, January 8th, 2009Five years ago when President Lula issued the decree launching the National Plan for the Prevention of, Preparation for and Response to Environmental Emergencies Involving Hazardous Chemicals Products (“P2R2”), a cornerstone of the Plan’s implementation was the establishment by all the states and the Federal District (DF) of their own committees (“CE-P2R2”) to coordinate planning, […]
A Unique GEO for MEROSUR
Tuesday, December 30th, 2008Last month a GEO for the Southern Cone Common Market (MERCOSUR or MERCOSUL) was finally unveiled with much fanfare by representatives of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) at the meeting of MERCOSUR Environment Ministers. What’s a GEO? It’s probably the best known type of comprehensive environmental diagnosis available. “GEO” was the acronym for “Global […]
An E-Waste Bill for Santa Catarina / Projeto de Lei Sobre E-Lixo para Santa Catarina
Thursday, September 18th, 2008Earlier this month a bill was introduced in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina (SC) to impose extended producer responsibility (EPR) for end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment — WEEE, e-waste or “technological trash” (lixo tecnológico) as Brazilians like to call it. SC is not the first state to attempt legislation on this subject. Mato […]
If You Can’t Find It Here, You May Not Find It
Friday, February 1st, 2008Quite a few Temas Blog readers noticed the absence of new posts for several weeks. I was fully occupied with work day-and-night on the final stages of the total revamp and re-launch of my main site, temasactuales.com Although work continues on the Spanish and Portuguese versions (coming soon!), the burden has lightened enough that I […]