Abstract
As biodegradable material represents approximately 70% of household waste in Brazil, any strategy to divert appreciable waste quantities from landfills of necessity has to include valorization and recycling of this material. A societal change of attitude is required to perceive this challenge. Experiments in an urban apartment building are described that produced this change of attitude with a success factor of 80%. Divided waste collection was implemented that separated at the source biodegradable from inert material. Correct collection, handling and display procedures were established. Composting of biodegradable material was carried out under the rooftop of the building as an alternative to using it as animal feed. Half of the inert material entered the reverse logistics chain and was also diverted from the landfill. Waste related material flow through the building is completely quantified, food intake and waste production are related, diversion of both biodegradable and inert waste components from the landfill is measured and the composting process is described. The landfill diversion stands at 61%, mass reduction through the composting process is 80% and matured compost is returned to residents for use in flower cages. The system has been operational for two years and stands out as a precedent in successful decentralized household waste management supported by material flow analysis.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Papers from the Proceedings of the Internet Conference on Material Flow Analysis of Integrated Bio-Systems March–Oct 2000 organized by the United Nations University and the Integrated Biosystems Network.
Fehr, M., Calçado, M. R., & Romao, D, C. (2000). Landfill diversion of biodegradables seen and solved as an administrative challenge (Brazil).
Foo, E. L. J., & Appleby, S. (2000). Integrated bio-system for a feedlot-abattoir-meat processing and research complex in Bali (Sweden/Indonesia).
Li, K., & Wang, Q. (2000). Digester fishpond interaction in integrated biomass system (P R China).
Regmi, P. P. (2000). Resource flow analysis of the Nepalese mountain farming system (Thailand).
Papers from other sources
Beukering, P. J. H., & Janssen, M. A. (2001). Trade and recycling of used tires in Western and Eastern Europe Resources. Conservation & Recycling, 33(4), 235–265. doi:10.1016/S0921-3449(01)00082-9 (Netherlands).
Fehr, M. (2002). The prospect of municipal waste landfill diversion depends on geographical location. The Environmentalist (Springer), 22(4), 319–324. doi:10.1023/A:1020710829477 (Brazil).
Hanssen, O. J., Olsen, A., Møller, H., & Rubach, S. (2003). National indicators for material efficiency and waste minimization for the Norwegian packaging sector 1995–2001. Resources, Conservation & Recycling, 38(2), 123–137. doi:10.1016/S0921-3449(02)00104-0 (Norway).
Joosten, J. A. J., Hekkert, M. P., & Worrell, E. (2000). Assessment of the plastic flows in The Netherlands using STREAMS Resources. Conservation & Recycling, 30(2), 135–161. doi:10.1016/S0921-3449(00)00055-0 (Netherlands/USA).
Pereira, A. F. N., & Fehr, M. (2005). Environmental management: Proactive law for municipal solid waste. Sociedade & Natureza, Uberlândia. Special Issue on CD, May 2005 pp. 628–635, ISSN 0103 1570, www.ig.ufu.br (Brazil).
Zurbrugg, C., Drescher, S., Patel, A., & Sharatchandra, H. C. (2004). Decentralised compost of urban waste: An overview of community and private initiatives in Indian cities. Waste Management (Elsevier), 24(7), 655–662. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2004.01.003 (India).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Readers should send their comments on this paper to: BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fehr, M. Measuring the environmental impact of waste flow management in Brazilian apartment buildings. Environ Dev Sustain 11, 319–328 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-007-9114-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-007-9114-3