Brazil
Mister Chairman,
Distinguished delegates,
We would like to thank all panelists for their presentations.
Brazil associates itself to the statement made by Algeria on behalf of the G-77/China.
Brazil also supports yesterday?s statement made by Antigua and Barbuda on behalf of
AOSIS, regarding the specific situation in the Small Island Developing States.
Waste management remains a serious challenge for all nations, especially developing
countries. In the case of the Latin American and Caribbean region, international
cooperation should promote the empowerment of local governments, to which
solid waste management has been transferred as part of the process of
administrative decentralization.
Waste management is closely in line with the discussion of sustainable
consumption and production. In the case of e-waste the heart of the problem
resides on the very nature of the business model and in the consumption patterns
imposed by the electronics industry, taking consumers as hostages of frequent
changes of computer equipments, mobile phones and, more recently, televisions.
Furthermore, as stated in the report of the UN Secretary General, much of that ewaste
has been exported by developed countries to developing countries illegally or as
equipment in obsolescence, but supposedly in working condition, or refurbished,
including in the form of donations. We believe that all effort must be made to rescue
the Basel Convention from the state of starvation in which it is since too long time,
especially by developed countries who should lead the review of the failed
models based on voluntary contributions to key international instruments of
environmental law and sustainable development.
Mister Chairman,
Regarding the report, we would also like to thank for its elaboration and use this
opportunity to make some specific comments:
First, in Table 1, page 4, data from Brazil and Argentina are extrapolated to the
entire South America. The same is true for Central America, based on data from
Mexico, as well as for other sub-regions. National realities among developing countries
differ greatly. Therefore, these data can provide a misperception on the actual
situation.
Secondly, in paragraph 34, the thematic report mentions that "Latin America and
Caribbean countries also have weak and outdated waste monitoring, and waste
management plans are often Inadequate".
I would like to emphasize that in Brazil, federal Laws gave legal treatment to urban
domestic solid waste as one of the four components of sanitation, gave greater
legal certainty for investment in the sector, and defined the possibility of
providing public services of common interest in a cooperative way between
municipalities, with or without state participation, through the establishment of
consortia of public services.
Moreover, Brazil is a world leader in the recollection of pesticide containers,
reaching in the past seven years over 150 thousand tons. In 2009, the return of
these containers reached 90%, a rate much higher than other countries with similar
programs. Farmers can deliver the used containers in any of the 400 offices and
gathering centers in Brazil. In these centers, which occupy an average area of 700
square meters, all containers are inspected before sorting them by type.
These centers belong to the associations of resale and are managed by the National
Institute for Processing Empty Packaging, a non-profit entity founded in 2001, which
has 99% of manufacturers of pesticides in Brazil's and the seven major trade
associations in the industry.
The national law of disposal of empty pesticide containers is unique in the world:
because it distributes responsibilities to all parts of the chain, heavily relying in
the participation of farmers who have one year to return the containers.
Noncompliance with important parts of this process entails fines for rural producers.
The audit and the penalties are borne by the states.
These are concrete examples of successful experiences on waste management.
Thirdly, regarding paragraph 72, about 80% of 9.5 billion aluminum cans sold in
2000 were recycled. In 2007, Brazil recycled 96.5% which represents more than
160 tons of scrap aluminum cans. In addition, waste management has become
extremely important in both social and environmental contribution on economic
management and sustainable development of the aluminum industry through the
adoption of best practices to prevent contamination of water supplies and technologies
for recycling waste and scrap generated in the production process, both in primary
aluminum production and in the secondary.
Fourtly, in line with paragraphs 92 and 93, the use of bioethanol in transportation
has allowed Brazil to use waste from sugarcane for significant co-generation of
electricity. In 2007, biomass held 2nd place in the supply of electric power, producing
5.700 MW. 252 sugarcane mills alone have already provided 4.000 MW. In 2020,
co-generation using sugarcane bagasse could represent 15% of our energy matrix,
producing 14.400 MW. This is a new Itaipu Hydropower Plant, the world?s largest
generator of renewable and clean energy, followed today by the famous Three Gorges
Dam. At same time, sugarcane harvests occur during the period of drought, when the
water levels in our southern reservoirs are low.
Thank you.
Distinguished delegates,
We would like to thank all panelists for their presentations.
Brazil associates itself to the statement made by Algeria on behalf of the G-77/China.
Brazil also supports yesterday?s statement made by Antigua and Barbuda on behalf of
AOSIS, regarding the specific situation in the Small Island Developing States.
Waste management remains a serious challenge for all nations, especially developing
countries. In the case of the Latin American and Caribbean region, international
cooperation should promote the empowerment of local governments, to which
solid waste management has been transferred as part of the process of
administrative decentralization.
Waste management is closely in line with the discussion of sustainable
consumption and production. In the case of e-waste the heart of the problem
resides on the very nature of the business model and in the consumption patterns
imposed by the electronics industry, taking consumers as hostages of frequent
changes of computer equipments, mobile phones and, more recently, televisions.
Furthermore, as stated in the report of the UN Secretary General, much of that ewaste
has been exported by developed countries to developing countries illegally or as
equipment in obsolescence, but supposedly in working condition, or refurbished,
including in the form of donations. We believe that all effort must be made to rescue
the Basel Convention from the state of starvation in which it is since too long time,
especially by developed countries who should lead the review of the failed
models based on voluntary contributions to key international instruments of
environmental law and sustainable development.
Mister Chairman,
Regarding the report, we would also like to thank for its elaboration and use this
opportunity to make some specific comments:
First, in Table 1, page 4, data from Brazil and Argentina are extrapolated to the
entire South America. The same is true for Central America, based on data from
Mexico, as well as for other sub-regions. National realities among developing countries
differ greatly. Therefore, these data can provide a misperception on the actual
situation.
Secondly, in paragraph 34, the thematic report mentions that "Latin America and
Caribbean countries also have weak and outdated waste monitoring, and waste
management plans are often Inadequate".
I would like to emphasize that in Brazil, federal Laws gave legal treatment to urban
domestic solid waste as one of the four components of sanitation, gave greater
legal certainty for investment in the sector, and defined the possibility of
providing public services of common interest in a cooperative way between
municipalities, with or without state participation, through the establishment of
consortia of public services.
Moreover, Brazil is a world leader in the recollection of pesticide containers,
reaching in the past seven years over 150 thousand tons. In 2009, the return of
these containers reached 90%, a rate much higher than other countries with similar
programs. Farmers can deliver the used containers in any of the 400 offices and
gathering centers in Brazil. In these centers, which occupy an average area of 700
square meters, all containers are inspected before sorting them by type.
These centers belong to the associations of resale and are managed by the National
Institute for Processing Empty Packaging, a non-profit entity founded in 2001, which
has 99% of manufacturers of pesticides in Brazil's and the seven major trade
associations in the industry.
The national law of disposal of empty pesticide containers is unique in the world:
because it distributes responsibilities to all parts of the chain, heavily relying in
the participation of farmers who have one year to return the containers.
Noncompliance with important parts of this process entails fines for rural producers.
The audit and the penalties are borne by the states.
These are concrete examples of successful experiences on waste management.
Thirdly, regarding paragraph 72, about 80% of 9.5 billion aluminum cans sold in
2000 were recycled. In 2007, Brazil recycled 96.5% which represents more than
160 tons of scrap aluminum cans. In addition, waste management has become
extremely important in both social and environmental contribution on economic
management and sustainable development of the aluminum industry through the
adoption of best practices to prevent contamination of water supplies and technologies
for recycling waste and scrap generated in the production process, both in primary
aluminum production and in the secondary.
Fourtly, in line with paragraphs 92 and 93, the use of bioethanol in transportation
has allowed Brazil to use waste from sugarcane for significant co-generation of
electricity. In 2007, biomass held 2nd place in the supply of electric power, producing
5.700 MW. 252 sugarcane mills alone have already provided 4.000 MW. In 2020,
co-generation using sugarcane bagasse could represent 15% of our energy matrix,
producing 14.400 MW. This is a new Itaipu Hydropower Plant, the world?s largest
generator of renewable and clean energy, followed today by the famous Three Gorges
Dam. At same time, sugarcane harvests occur during the period of drought, when the
water levels in our southern reservoirs are low.
Thank you.
Stakeholders