Intermunicipal cooperation and privatization of solid waste services among small municipalities in Spain

The aim of this paper is to analyze the effects of intermunicipal cooperation and privatization on the delivery costs of urban solid waste services. The results of our empirical analysis, which we conducted among a sample of very small municipalities, indicate that small towns that cooperate incur lower costs for their waste collection service. Cooperation also raises collection frequency and improves the quality of the service in small towns. By contrast, the form of production, whether it is public or private, does not result in systematic differences in costs. Interestingly, the degree of population dispersion has a significant positive relation with service costs. No evidence of scale economies is found because, it would seem, small municipalities exploit them by means of intermunicipal cooperation.

Construção participativa de conhecimentos sobre resíduos no Programa de Coleta Seletiva da Unesp-Bauru: reflexões e ações

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Diagnóstico da geração e disposição dos resíduos sólidos urbanos nos municípios da 7ª região administrativa do Estado de São Paulo

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

A questão dos resíduos sólidos urbanos: uma abordagem socioambiental com ênfase no município de Ribeirão Preto (SP)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

A gestão dos resíduos sólidos no município de Bauru - SP

The destination of urban solid waste has became a very relevant theme because of the fast growth of cities. Bauru, a strategically located municipality, needs solutions for that problem. This research aims to show solid waste management in Bauru through a survey of the selective or regular garbage collection programs, treatment and final disposal of the waste. To do so, a questionnaire with 85 questions was used about solid waste management in the municipality and visits were made to the solid waste collection and disposal sites. Bauru has a bad selective collection program and very significant clandestine disposal of Hazardous waste. Furthermore, it doesnot treat hospital waste and has a deficient final disposal landfill.

Twelve factors influencing sustainable recycling of municipal solid waste in developing countries

Sustainable management of solid waste is a global concern, as exemplified by the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG) that 191 member states support. The seventh MDG indirectly advocates for municipal solid waste management (MSWM) by aiming to ensure environmental sustainability into countries’ policies and programs and reverse negative environmental impact. Proper MSWM will likely result in relieving poverty, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, and preventing disease, which are MDG goals one, four, five, and six, respectively (UNMDG, 2005). Solid waste production is increasing worldwide as the global society strives to obtain a decent quality of life. Several means exist in which the amount of solid waste going to a landfill can be reduced, such as incineration with energy production, composting of organic wastes, and material recovery through recycling, which are all considered sustainable methods by which to manage MSW. In the developing world, composting is already a widely-accepted method to reduce waste fated for the landfill, and incineration for energy recovery can be a costly capital investment for most communities. Therefore, this research focuses on recycling as a solution to the municipal solid waste production problem while considering the three dimensions of sustainability environment, society, and economy. First, twenty-three developing country case studies were quantitatively and qualitatively examined for aspects of municipal solid waste management. The municipal solid waste (MSW) generation and recovery rates, as well as the composition were compiled and assessed. The average MSW generation rate was 0.77 kg/person/day, with recovery rates varying from 5 – 40%. The waste streams of nineteen of these case studies consisted of 0 – 70% recyclable material and 17 – 80% organic material. All twenty-three case studies were analyzed qualitatively by identifying any barriers or incentives to recycling, which justified the creation of twelve factors influencing sustainable municipal solid waste management (MSWM) in developing countries. The presence of regulations, enforcement of laws, and use of incentive schemes constitutes the first factor, Government Policy. Cost of MSWM operations, the budget allocated to MSWM by local to national governments, as well as the stability and reliability of funds comprise the Government Finances factor influencing recycling in the third world. Many case studies indicated that understanding features of a waste stream such as the generation and recovery rates and composition is the first measure in determining proper management solutions, which forms the third factor Waste Characterization. The presence and efficiency of waste collection and segregation by scavengers, municipalities, or private contractors was commonly addressed by the case studies, which justified Waste Collection and Segregation as the fourth factor. Having knowledge of MSWM and an understanding of the linkages between human behavior, waste handling, and health/sanitation/environment comprise the Household Education factor. Individuals’ income influencing waste handling behavior (e.g., reuse, recycling, and illegal dumping), presence of waste collection/disposal fees, and willingness to pay by residents were seen as one of the biggest incentives to recycling, which justified them being combined into the Household Economics factor. The MSWM Administration factor was formed following several references to the presence and effectiveness of private and/or public management of waste through collection, recovery, and disposal influencing recycling activity. Although the MSWM Personnel Education factor was only recognized by six of the twenty-two case studies, the lack of trained laborers and skilled professionals in MSWM positions was a barrier to sustainable MSWM in every case but one. The presence and effectiveness of a comprehensive, integrative, long-term MSWM strategy was highly encouraged by every case study that addressed the tenth factor, MSWM Plan. Although seemingly a subset of private MSWM administration, the existence and profitability of market systems relying on recycled-material throughput, involvement of small businesses, middlemen, and large industries/exporters is deserving of the factor Local Recycled-Material Market. Availability and effective use of technology and/or human workforce and the safety considerations of each were recurrent barriers and incentives to recycling to warrant the Technological and Human Resources factor. The Land Availability factor takes into consideration land attributes such as terrain, ownership, and development which can often times dictate MSWM. Understanding the relationships among the twelve factors influencing recycling in developing countries, made apparent the collaborative nature required of sustainable MSWM. Factors requiring the greatest collaborative inputs include waste collection and segregation, MSWM plan, and local recycled-material market. Aligning each factor to the societal, environmental, and economic dimensions of sustainability revealed the motives behind the institutions contributing to each factor. A correlation between stakeholder involvement and sustainability existed, as supported by the fact that the only three factors driven by all three dimensions of sustainability were the same three that required the greatest collaboration with other factors. With increasing urbanization, advocating for improved health for all through the MDG, and changing consumption patterns resulting in increasing and more complex waste streams, the utilization of the collaboration web offered by this research is ever needed in the developing world. Through its use, the institutions associated with each of the twelve factors can achieve a better understanding of the collaboration necessary and beneficial for more sustainable MSWM.

Building a retrospective collection in pharmacy: a brief history of the literature with some considerations for U.S. health sciences library professionals

This paper argues that historical works in pharmacy are important tools for the clinician as well as the historian. With this as its operative premise, delineating the tripartite aspects of pharmacy as a business enterprise, a science, and a profession provides a conceptual framework for primary and secondary resource collecting. A brief history and guide to those materials most essential to a historical collection in pharmacy follows. Issues such as availability and cost are discussed and summarized in checklist form. In addition, a glossary of important terms is provided as well as a list of all the major U.S. dispensatories and their various editions. This paper is intended to serve as a resource for those interested in collecting historical materials in pharmacy and pharmaco-therapeutics as well as provide a history that gives context to these classics in the field. This should provide a rationale for selective retrospective collection development in pharmacy.

Household waste recycling behavior: a market segmentation model

The potential of social marketing has been recognized in the United Kingdom by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) as a useful tool for behavioral change for environmental problems. The techniques of social marketing have been used successfully by health organizations to tackle current public health issues. This article describes a research project which explored the current barriers to recycling household waste and the development of a segmentation model which could be used at the local level by authorities charged with waste collection and disposal. The research makes a unique contribution to social marketing through the introduction of a competencies framework and market segmentation for recycling behaviors.

Optimal location of solid waste containers in Alcalá de Henares

The waste’s rise is a problem that affects the environment as a whole and we cannot forget about it. A good waste’s management is the key to improve the future prospect, and the waste collection is key within the management activities. To find out the better way to collect wastes leads to a reduction of the social, economic and environmental cost. With the use of the Geographic Information Systems it has been intended to elaborate a methodology which allowed us to identify the most suitable places for the location of the collection containers of the different sorts of the solid urban wastes. Taking into account that different types of wastes exist, not all of them should be managed in the same way. Therefore we have to differentiate between models where we apply efficiency and models where we apply equity for the collection of wastes, bearing in mind the necessities of each waste.

Assessment of a Planned Municipal Solid Waste Management System in Sri Lanka

Systematic Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) authorities of Sri Lanka contributes to exchange some productive outputs with localities; however it is still not in a successful mode due to limitations and environmental failures in their operation. Most of these local administrations are directly dumping Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) to an open dumping site, this manner of inappropriate disposal of MSW is become a major threat to the environment and public health in developing countries like Sri Lanka. This study was conducted for the MSWM practices of Balangoda Urban Council. The research was performed based on analyzing information obtained from field observations; reports; literature; questionnaire distribution among community; and a series of formal interviews with major stakeholders. The ongoing MSWM practices of Balangoda Urban Council encompass six categories as waste minimization and handling; waste collection; on-site separation; waste transportation; further management including grading, composting, recycling, producing sludge fertilizer; and final disposal to an open dump site. Apart from those, training sessions on MSWM are also being conducted. The purpose of this paper is to assess current status of urban waste management scenario and highlight strengths and weaknesses to understand the sustainability of the system which would help any local authority to improve MSWM.

Sustainability in buildings and waste sector: metrics, challanges, and opportunities

Nowadays, the scientific community has devoted a consistent effort to the sustainable development of the waste management sector and resource efficiency in building infrastructures. Waste is the fourth largest source sector of emissions and the municipal solid waste management system is considered as the most complex system to manage, due to its diverse composition and fragmentation of producers and responsibilities. Nevertheless, given the deep complexity that characterize the waste management sector, sustainability is still a challenging task. Interestingly, open issues arise when dealing with the sustainability of the waste sector. In this thesis, some recent advances in the waste management sector have been presented. Specifically, through the analysis of four author publications this thesis attempted to fill the gap in the following open issues: (i) the waste collection and generation of waste considering the pillars of sustainability; (ii) the environmental and social analysis in designing building infrastructures; (iv) the role of the waste collection in boosting sustainable systems of waste management; (v) the ergonomics impacts of waste collection. For this purpose, four author publications in international peer – reviewed journals were selected among the wholly author's contributions (i.e., final publication stage).

Lesões músculo-esqueléticas ligadas ao trabalho (LMELT) nos cantoneiros de limpeza/recolha de resíduos urbanos

Mestrado em Segurança e Higiene no TRabalho.

Satisfação e valor do recreio balnear

Dissertação de Mestrado, Ciências Económicas e Empresariais, 11 de Dezembro de 2015, Universidade dos Açores.

Factores favoráveis e desfavoráveis à adesão dos cidadãos à separação selectiva de resíduos sólidos urbanos, na cidade do seixal, enquanto cidade saudável

RESUMO - A cidade do Seixal, enquanto Cidade Saudável tem como missão a implementação dos princípios e estratégias do Projecto Cidades Saudáveis da OMS. Para tal, desenvolve programas e acções, conjuntamente com parceiros intersectoriais, com vista à melhoria da saúde e da qualidade de vida dos cidadãos residentes na cidade do Seixal, e que promova em simultâneo a participação da comunidade. A separação selectiva dos resíduos depende da participação dos cidadãos, pelo que esta investigação propõe-se estudar quais os factores favoráveis e desfavoráveis à adesão dos cidadãos à separação selectiva de resíduos sólidos urbanos, na cidade do Seixal, enquanto Cidade Saudável. O paradigma quantitativo foi o escolhido para guiar o desenvolvimento deste estudo, através do método survey (descrição numérica de uma fracção da população – amostra – através do processo de aplicação de questionários à população). O questionário desenvolvido para esta investigação será aplicado no Fórum Municipal do Seixal a uma amostra de 250 cidadãos residentes na cidade do Seixal. Para obter os resultados finais, será realizada, numa primeira fase, uma análise descritiva de todas as variáveis, que deverá incluir medidas de localização e variabilidade adequadas a cada variável. Numa segunda fase será realizada uma análise inferencial recorrendo a testes não paramétricos e paramétricos. ----------------ABSTRAT - The city of Seixal, while Healthy City, takes as a mission the implementation of the beginnings and strategies of the WHO Healthy Cities Project. Programs and actions are being developed for that purpose, jointly with intersectorial partners, with sight to the improvement of the health and of the quality of life of the resident citizens in the city of Seixal, and that it promotes in simultaneous the participation of the community. Because the selective waste separation depends on the participation of the citizens, the purpose of this investigation is to study the favorable and unfavorable factors which leads participation or not of the citizens to the selective separation of urbane solid wastes, in the city of Seixal, while Healthy City. The quantitative paradigm was the chosen one to guide the development of this study, through the survey method (numerical description of a fraction of the population – sample – through the process of questionnaires to the population). The questionnaire developed for this investigation will be applied in the Fórum Municipal do Seixal, to a sample of 250 resident citizens in the city of Seixal. To obtain the final results, we will carry out, in a first phase, a descriptive analysis of all the variables, which will include measures of location and variability appropriate to each one. In a second phase will be carried out an inferential analysis resorting to non parametric and parametric tests.

Liderança e motivação nas entidades responsáveis pela recolha e gestão de resíduos do concelho da Maia

O contexto, o tempo é de mudança. Ainda que o não fosse, falar de gestão de recursos humanos, falar de pessoas, é falar em mudança (ou mudanças). A economia mundial é que dita o presente e o futuro das organizações, privadas ou públicas, com ou sem fins lucrativos, pequenas, médias e grandes. Quando, em 2011, foi chumbado o quarto projeto do Programa de Estabilidade e Crescimento, vivia-se em Portugal um período crítico, ao qual não era alheia a conjuntura internacional de recessão económica. No domínio da Administração Pública, procurava-se redesenhar as organizações, imprimir-lhes uma gestão mais privatística, de otimização de recursos e controlo de custos. Hoje, sabe-se que aquela rejeição do programa político governamental teria outras consequências, as que atualmente os portugueses vêm sentindo. É um período de mudanças radicais, sem precedentes. Como lideram ou como administram os responsáveis pelas organizações, no contexto atual? Quais as qualidades de liderança que imperam em situações de crise e de austeridade? Como reagem líderes e liderados em períodos de recessão ou adversidade? E, sobretudo, como falham uns e são bem-sucedidos outros? Desde logo, há que reconhecer a importância e valorizar o capital humano: atrair, reter e desenvolver. Neste trabalho, procuramos responder aos crescentes interesse e preocupação em redesenhar, reformar e melhorar a gestão na administração pública. Daí o interesse pela motivação e a sua relação com o estilo de liderança adotado nas organizações deste setor, fator determinante para o comprometimento, a eficácia e a produtividade no trabalho. Mais concretamente, o objetivo deste estudo é compreender a relação entre o sistema de gestão que predomina nas entidades responsáveis pela recolha e gestão de resíduos do concelho da Maia e a motivação dos seus colaboradores, assim como a satisfação dos mesmos com a sua chefia. A metodologia de investigação utilizada orienta-se para a abordagem quantitativa, recorrendo-se a técnicas e instrumentos de natureza quantitativa, tais como o questionário de escala de resposta tipo Likert, por considerarmos ser a mais ajustada às pretensões desta investigação.