Title: Municipal solid waste disposal in Brazil: improvements and challenges

Authors: Victor Fernandez Nascimento; Anahi Chimini Sobral; Manfred Fehr; Nazli Yesiller; Pedro R. Andrade; Jean Pierre Henry Balbaud Ometto

Addresses: Remote Sensing and Meteorological State Center (CEPSRM), Rio Grande do Sul Federal University (UFRGS), Brazil ' Earth System Science Center (CCST), National Institute for Space Research (INPE), Brazil ' Geography Institute, Uberlândia Federal University, Campus Santa Mônica, Brazil ' Global Waste Research Institute (GWRI), California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), USA ' Earth System Science Center (CCST), National Institute for Space Research (INPE), Brazil ' Earth System Science Center (CCST), National Institute for Space Research (INPE), Brazil

Abstract: The proper disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW) is a global challenge, mainly in developing countries. The objective of this paper is to review recent improvements and remaining challenges of municipal solid waste disposal (MSWD) in Brazil focusing on the environmental impacts caused by inappropriate disposal of MSW. Before the implementation of the Brazilian Solid Waste Policy (BSWP), in 2008, 72.3% of all municipalities in Brazil disposed of their MSW in open dumps and uncontrolled landfills. In 2015, after the deadline given by the BSWP to close all open dumps and uncontrolled landfills had expired, 60% of all Brazilian municipalities still dispose their MSW improperly. Therefore, while progress occurred in the management practices for MSWD in Brazil, the improvements have not occurred as fast as expected by the BSWP and several shortcomings remain, which cause significant environmental impacts.

Keywords: municipal solid waste generation; municipal solid waste management; MSWM; landfill; open dumps; environmental impact; Brazil.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2019.099007

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2019 Vol.23 No.3, pp.300 - 318

Received: 12 Jun 2017
Accepted: 29 May 2018
Published online: 12 Apr 2019 *

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