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 […]
Green IT Rating System Expanded to Brazil and Mexico
Monday, August 10th, 2009From EPEAT: The Green Electronics Council Announces Major Expansion of EPEAT International Green IT purchasing system enables electronics manufacturers to register computers and monitors in 40 countries The Green Electronics Council today announced the availability of an international EPEAT purchasing registry, a major development that enables the world’s leading electronics manufacturers to list ‘green’ computers […]
Wal-Mart Mexico to Promote “Green” Products / Wal-Mart de México promoverá productos “verdes”
Tuesday, April 14th, 2009Walmart stores across Mexico and their suppliers* have launched for “Earth Month” (April 16 to May 3) an aggressive environmental awareness campaign in the press, radio and television promoting sustainable products and showing that purchasing them does not hurt the customers’ budgets. “At Wal-Mart de México we work hand-in-hand with our suppliers to encourage them […]
Minas’ New State Waste Law Features Take-Back
Sunday, January 18th, 2009Last week the governor of Minas Gerais (MG) signed the State Solid Waste Policy Law. The Law’s 57 articles establish the principles, guidelines, goals and instruments for the correct management of waste, and defines the obligations of different waste generators and the users of urban sanitation services. Minas is not the first Brazilian state to […]
McDonald’s Claims First “Ecological Restaurant” in Latin America
Tuesday, December 16th, 2008McDonald’s just inaugurated what it claims to be the first “ecological restaurant” in Latin America — well, at least, the first one of their chain, anyway. Take a look at why McDonald’s calls this an ecological restaurant and see if you agree: Arcos Dourados (“Golden Arches”), the company that manages the franchise network of McDonald’s […]
Not Always Easy Buying Recycled
Monday, October 6th, 2008The basic idea was straightforward: stimulate recycling by requiring all state agencies, entities and offices to buy only paper products with high recycled content (50%). That was the requirement set by a new law adopted by the southern Brazilian state of Paraná in November 2007. The Law said that it must apply to all paper […]
Minas & São Paulo Adopt a Green Purchasing Program
Sunday, September 28th, 2008Two of Brazil’s biggest markets — the states of Minas Gerais (MG) and São Paulo (SP) — each created in August a state program for sustainable public purchasing and contracting that, if done properly, can have a major impact on Brazilian markets — even more so if other states and the federal government follow their […]
The Metals Industry Stance on Recycling and Recycled Content
Wednesday, March 28th, 2007At the end of November a coalition of entities representing major segments of the mining and metals industries* issued a joint “Declaration on Recycling Principles.” As you may have discerned by now, everything having to do with waste and recycling interests me. I downloaded the Declaration, jotted notes and questions in a draft post, and […]