Effectiveness of solid waste policies in developing countries: A case study in Brazil

Cetrulo, Tiago Balieiro; Marques, Rui Cunha; Cetrulo, Natália Molina; Pinto, Francisco Silva; Moreira, Rodrigo Martins; Mendizábal-Cortés, Alejandra Daniela; Malheiros, Tadeu Fabrí­cio

doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.09.094

Cited by 106 publications

(63 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…The complexity often seems to be overwhelming both for political as for civic leaders [3,19,49]. In response to this convolution, the paths of decentralization and privatization are often followed, but not always with success [44,[50][51][52][53].…”

Section: Symptomsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On the opposite side, Kazuva et al argue that government responses to SWM challenges are often too weak and inadequate and, in this neglect, may worsen the situation over a longer period of time [45]. Cetrulo et al claim that political interference in operational and judicial issues, tend to be detrimental, as not always SWM interests are served [52]. They also argue that, having policies is good, but not sufficient.…”

Section: Diagnosismentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Failing Services on Urban Waste Management in Developing Countries: A Review on Symptoms, Diagnoses, and Interventions

Breukelman¹,

Krikke

Löhr

2019

Sustainability

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The potential and scale of cities enable economic growth and the improvement of citizens’ access to jobs, education, healthcare, culture, public utilities and services. Solid waste management (SWM) is one of the key services provided by cities. Its operations are complex, very visible to the general public, and impacted by strong financial, societal, and political constraints. Performances in developing countries, however, are not positive. United Nations research shows urban collection services covering no more than 39% of the population in low-income countries. Why are many cities in developing countries not able to use their increasing wealth and scale for basic SWM services such as city cleaning, collection, and sustainable landfilling? This paper provides a review of literature on this question over the last decade. It shows that research is mostly on symptoms and has not led to a deeper diagnosis of causes. Lack of resources, infrastructure, awareness, and institutional strength are often pinpointed as causes but, in fact, they should be addressed as symptoms. These symptoms should be designated as dependent variables in a complex causal network with systemic feedbacks, hindering or neutralizing attempts to improve performances if not properly dealt with. Research should concentrate more on assessing the relations between urbanization, urban processes, and urban governance that shape the performance of urban solid waste management. System dynamics modeling may provide new approaches for this diagnosis.

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Section: Symptomsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Diagnosismentioning

confidence: 99%

Failing Services on Urban Waste Management in Developing Countries: A Review on Symptoms, Diagnoses, and Interventions

Breukelman¹,

Krikke

Löhr

2019

Sustainability

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“…The Brazilian legislation regarding solid waste ( Brazil, 2010 ) encourages the integration of informal workers into the formal recycling sector, being the organization as a cooperative an important means to reduce socio-economic fragilities ( Fidelis et al, 2020 ; Ibáñez-Forésa et al, 2018 ). Considering the continental size of the country with its cultural and economic diversity, solid waste management also varies from similar to low-income countries to similar to high-income countries ( Cetrulo et al, 2018 ). Informal workers such as waste pickers, itinerant traders, and middlemen constitute one important characteristic of recycling programs in Brazil ( Conke, 2018 ), and even formal workers conduct manual waste sorting in recycling centers.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19 pandemic: Solid waste and environmental impacts in Brazil

Urban

Nakada

2021

Science of The Total Environment

137

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The World Health Organization has recently declared South America the new epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, as Brazil has become one of the most affected countries. Besides public health and economic impacts, social isolation has also caused indirect environmental effects. The aim of this study was to assess environmental impacts caused by shifts on solid waste production and management due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. We have analyzed data from 30 cities, representing a population of more than 53.8 million people (25.4% of the Brazilian population). Unexpectedly, solid waste production in the main cities in Brazil has decreased during the social isolation period, possibly because of reduced activity in commercial areas. The latest data on solid waste in Brazil have revealed that more than 35% of medical waste has not been treated properly. Furthermore, improper disposal of facemasks has been reported in several cities and may increase the risk for COVID-19 spread. The suspension of recycling programs has hindered natural resources from being saved, with emphasis on 24,076 MWh of electric power and 185,929 m 3 of potable water – respectively enough to supply 152,475 households and 40,010 people, over a month. Furthermore, total sale price for recyclable materials during the suspension of recycling programs reaches more than 781 thousand dollars, being these materials disposed in landfills – demanding an extra volume of 19,000 m 3 – reducing landfill lifespan, and hence causing a double loss: economic and environmental.

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“…Besides, locations can present specific aspects that have impact on local sustainability. Developing countries, for example, show reports about the presence of people and animals living in dumps (BJERKLI, 2015;SAMSON, 2017), as well as about discussions about scavengers' participation in selective collections in counties, since they need to be integrated to, and valorized by, solid waste management practices (CETRULO et al, 2018;VALLIN;GONÇALVES-DIAS, 2019). On the other hand, when it comes to developed countries, locations can face issues such as high solid waste generation, mainly of electronic waste, and socio-technical dependence (locked in) on incineration plants to treat municipal solid waste (CORVELLEC; CAMPOS; ZAPATA, 2013).…”

Section: Nuclear Process Wastesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Solid waste indicators in local sustainability assessment: a literature review

Cetrulo

Gonçalves-Dias

et al. 2020

Ambient. soc.

Self Cite

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The Solid Waste (SW) topic within the local sustainability assessment (LSA) system context remains little explored. This article is a literature review on this topic, with emphasis on the analysis of SW indicators and of systems they concern to. It assessed whether these indicators can represent SW complexity and sustainability aspects. Results in the present review have evidenced that 77.8% of system indicators use at most two SW indicators. Most of these indicators aim at indicating destination stages and the final SW management, environmental sustainability aspects and intermediate magnitude levels in SW management hierarchy. There was evidence of the positive impact of Public participation on the assessed matters. Final considerations present recommendations about SW indicators inclusion in LSA systems.

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Effectiveness of solid waste policies in developing countries: A case study in Brazil

Cited by 106 publications

References 32 publications

Failing Services on Urban Waste Management in Developing Countries: A Review on Symptoms, Diagnoses, and Interventions

Failing Services on Urban Waste Management in Developing Countries: A Review on Symptoms, Diagnoses, and Interventions

COVID-19 pandemic: Solid waste and environmental impacts in Brazil

Solid waste indicators in local sustainability assessment: a literature review

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