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The aim of this study is to elaborate on a map of agricultural potential for investing in new sugarcane plants in Brazil. A study of operational efficiency was conducted using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) in which it was possible to identify in 2009 the most efficient plants out of a universe of 355. Quantitative analysis suggests a tendency for efficient plants to be large and located in the state of São Paulo. Operational efficiency was proven to depend on the variables of size and location in which the state of São Paulo has a greater concentration of favorable edaphoclimatic conditions for extracting sugarcane with higher sucrose content. An analysis of agricultural potential in the Brazilian territory suggests the installation of new energy plants in regions that present favorable edaphoclimatic conditions and greater efficiency indexes. The states that were proven favorable, in terms of operational efficiency, are Alagoas, Pernambuco and certain regions of Minas Gerais, Paraná and Mato Grosso do Sul. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inadequate solid waste management leads to contamination of the soil and surface and underground water; the emergence of antibiotic-resistant superbacteria due to the inadequate disposal of medicines in toilets or in household rubbish; and the emission of persistent organic pollutants, such as flame retardants, present in some electrical/electronic equipment. In Brazil, the principles that underpin the National Solid Waste Policy (PNRS) are consistent with those used by developed countries, namely, the polluter-payer and protector-receiver; cooperation among the different spheres of government, the business sector, and other societal segments; and the shared product life-cycle responsibility (Brasil, 2010a; Novi et al., 2013; Santos et al., 2019). In the latter, selective collection and reverse logistics systems are the primary instruments (Zhang et al., 2011). Thus, the general objective of this work is to compare the technical and economic feasibility of four different sectorial agreements for reverse logistics implemented in Brazil. The specific objective is to describe the possible conflicts of interest of the multistakeholders. The sources of evidence used in this multi-case study were interviews, observations, and documentary research in the period from 2016 to 2018. The first result demonstrated that the economic viability of reverse logistics systems are obtained when the wastes have a commercial value after consumption (packaging and consumer electronics) or when industries organize to charge a fee that covers the costs of recycling and transport (lamps and medicines). The second result shows that there are many stakeholders involved in this process: manufacturers and importers, consumers, private waste and recycling companies, and government represented by municipalities, the Ministry of the Environment (MMA), and state environmental agencies (OEMAs). Each one has different interests and responsibilities: government has to preserve the environment and comply with international agreements on climate change, thus creating laws that ultimately burden companies and cities; profit-maximizing companies evaluate these rules as additional costs in their operations, whereas cities, in which operations are conducted, have low financial and managerial capacity. The stakeholder map reveals that there are overlapping roles among agents, with some being the same for all chains, and the constructed power and level of interest matrix indicates the importance of the process to be conducted by the state to align economic and social-environmental interests. Image 1 • RLS′ economic viability is directly related to commercial value of postconsumer waste. • There's conflict of interest between environmental impact and economic return. • The Matrix of Stakeholders showed that government needs to mediate this conflict. • Stakeholder diagram pointed an overlapping on RLS and suggest public policies' review. • Synergy in operations allows division of costs between industries and municipalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public policies, incentives, and infrastructure in MSWM are top-down instruments that can support a circular economy. This article aims to identify the factors that influence the recovery of materials and best practices (BPs) of the most efficient municipalities in Brazil, and evaluated the alignment with brazilian legislation and european guidelines (Green Deal and British Standards Institution). This research includes a multiple linear regression, case studies and documentary research. The 30 identified BPs in Brazil have 63% compliance with the Brazilian law and only 23% with principles european recommendation. The high level of adherence of municipal practices with Brazilian legislation is observed in the generation, sorting and final disposal phases; however, in the collection process, practices meet only 29% of legal requirements. When compared to the high level required by BSI and Green Deal, which should be a standard to be followed in this country's future, there is much to be done in all stages, but mainly in the final destination, where incineration and landfills are regarded as the final strategy, undermining the circular economy in Brazil. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version). [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]