Measuring the environmental impact of waste flow management in Brazilian apartment buildings |
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Authors: | Manfred Fehr |
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Institution: | (1) Federal University at Uberlandia, P.O. Box 811, Uberlandia, 38400974, Brazil |
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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.
Readers should send their comments on this paper to: BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue. |
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Keywords: | Biodegradable waste Decentralized composting Environmental management Divided waste processing Landfill diversion Material flow analysis Municipal solid waste Source separation Recycling Reverse logistics Waste management |
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