Industrial solid waste strategies and policies for the south region of Rio de Janeiro state
The aim of this investigation was to propose guidelines (based on Europeans strategies andpolicies) in order to develop a plan for the industrial solid waste management in the SouthRegion of Rio de Janeiro State (Brazil), This region is an industrial area with significant wastemanagement problems. In order to properly manage waste production in this region, onemust know the amount, type, and composition of industrial wastes, as well as the managementpractices of the industries involved. In this investigation, questionnaires and secondary dataanalysis were used to collect infonnation regarding methods of waste management used in 30large-size manufacturing industries that produce 5.5% of the total waste generated. It wasobserved that paper and cardboard, plastic, wood, and metals were the most common types ofwaste, mainly generated from packaging (69% of the total volume), as well as material usedin containers and for unwrapping products. Serious problems were observed, like industrialsolid waste being sent to municipal landfills and irregular dumping. An overview of thecurrent solid waste management situation gives rise to a brief discussion on waste-to-energyopportunities and an integrated industrial waste management system for the region.