Eco industrial parks in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil: A proposal for brownfield revitalization

Abstract

Abandoned industrial contaminated sites, the so called brownfields, represent a worldwide concern. Decades of neglect have left a legacy of these previous industrial areas all over Rio de Janeiro's State (RJS), Brazil, where industrial waste was and still is sometimes disposed of in the environment without proper treatment and management practices. Many of these abandoned or under-used areas are unknown and/or the presence of hazardous substances in these areas is unknown. Many others are well known; however they represent a major management problem. In fact, RJS industrial waste management and control system has a series of failures. First, despite the vast State environmental legislation, there is no state legislation regarding the management of brownfield areas. Many industries store or dispose of their waste inappropriately, contaminating and degrading the physical and social environment. In addition, the installed capacity of existent sanitary landfills is insufficient to meet the industrial sector demand. This situation prompted the need to implement in RJS a system in order to manage brownfield areas. This study has as objective to contribute to fill part of this gap by proposing an appropriate use for the reintegration of these areas after they have been restored and rehabilitated. In order to fulfil this objective, this study first presents a picture of industrial waste generation and disposal in RJS. Two brownfield areas that are going through a process of rehabilitation are presented, Cia Mercantil Ingá, a mining industry abandoned site, and Cidade dos Meninos, a chemical industry abandoned site. This way, this study proposes the implementation of Eco Industrial Parks in brownfield rehabilitated areas. The implementation of EIP seems to represent a solution for the revitalization and occupancy of these areas from the economic, social and environmental perspectives contributing to attract new business to the locality and for the creation of healthy communities. © 2010 WIT Press.