Public management overview of the construction and demolition waste from the municipality of Sa∼o Paulo: Challenges for the development of urban sustainability

Abstract

The accelerated growth of the urbanization process aimed at the stabilization of the economy in recent years, brought to light the enormous quantity of construction and demolition waste (C&DW) that has been created in the larger Brazilian cities. Considering the lack of and nearby adequate areas that might be available for the disposal of these materials, the appropriate management of C&DW is currently one of the greatest challenges for the public administration. Within this context, this work presents an overview of the management of C&DW in Sa∼o Paulo, Brazil, after the creation of specific public regulations. As a conclusion, it shows that the institutions responsible for the legal regulations are disassociated from the command actions, control and economic incentives, in such a way that the simple creation of legislation is not sufficient to stop the inadequate disposal of C&DW. In addition to this, there are also factors related to the market, environmental education, effective social control, absence of a structured public organization and public speeches from the key-persons involved in this area. © 2007 WIT Press.