Title: Urban environmental services: valuing the environmental benefits of solid waste recycling in Brazil

Authors: Bruno Milanez; Jorge Hargrave; Gustavo Luedemann

Addresses: Departamento de Engenharia de Produção e Mecânica, Universidade Federal de Juiz de For a, 36036-330, Juiz de For a, MG, Brazil ' Institute of Applied Economics Research SBS, Quadra 1, Bloco J, 70076-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil ' Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Esplanada dos Ministérios, Bloco E, 70067-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil

Abstract: Taking into account environmental and economic aspects, this research aims at estimating the environmental services produced by municipal solid waste (MSW) recycling. The text values the urban environmental services associated with the recycling of steel, aluminium, paper, plastic and glass present in MSW in Brazil. Estimates indicate that benefits of current recycling rates reaches something between US$ 1.1 billion and US$ 2.4 billion per year; moreover, if all recyclable material were recycled, such benefits would increase up to US$ 5.2 billion.

Keywords: urban environmental services; ecosystem services; municipal solid waste; MSW; Brazil; solid waste recycling; solid waste management; steel recycling; aluminium recycling; paper recycling; plastic recycling; glass recycling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2015.066951

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2015 Vol.15 No.1, pp.67 - 85

Accepted: 17 Jun 2014
Published online: 09 May 2015 *

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