Special Place, Special People

Home , Environmental protection

em • association news Spotlight on A&WMA’s Brazil Section Special Place, Special People by Rick Sprott, The moment you catch sight of Brazil as your flight approaches its destination, you Jeff Muffat, and Milton Norio Sogabe know there is something special waiting. What you are yet to learn is that the truly magnificent thing about Brazil is the people…their warmth, energy, optimism, and Rick Sprott is the former the sense that they have arrived on the world scene. A nationally televised “60 executive director of the Utah Department of Environ- Minutes” feature on December 12 clearly illuminated the excitement and distinctly mental Quality and a Past President of A&WMA; Brazilian approach to life. The forthcoming World Cup in 2014 and Olympic Jeff Muffat is manager of Games in 2016 are appropriate symbols for the sports world, but it was the Inter- environmental and regulatory affairs for 3M Co. and current national Seminar on Market Regulation for Air Emissions, part of Feira Internacional A&WMA President; and Milton Norio Sogabe is a de Meio Ambiente Industrial (FIMAI 2010), which marked a major milestone for planning manager with CETESB, the São Paulo State this vibrant A&WMA Section. environmental agency, and a member of A&WMA’s The Section implement programs delegated to them under the Brazil Section. The Brazil Section was established by João Baptista CAA. States in Brazil have far more latitude. Galvão Filho in 1996. Wai Nam Chan, a chemical engineer at the Petrobras refinery in Paulínia, ap- São Paulo is the most populous state (the capital— proximately 150 km north of Sao Paulo, served as São Paulo city of over 10 million people, the met- President 2009-2010. The section is a small (with ropolitan area about 20 million, and the entire state only 40 members), but tight, association of diverse 40 million) and Brazil’s economic engine with a professionals like Chan; Milton Norio Sogabe, high concentration of industry much like California planning manager with CETESB, the São Paulo in the United States. CETESB—Companhia Ambi- State environmental agency; and Antonio Pires ental do Estado de São Paulo (São Paulo State with MWM International (a Navistar Company); all Environmental Agency) has a track record of forging key forces behind FIMAI 2010. “We had a major new environmental standards. The São Paulo regulatory program and many questions; it seemed metropolitan area has high levels of pollution, perfect for the A&WMA model of the ‘neutral especially ozone and particulate matter. São Paulo has ambient pollution standards and compliance Acknowledgments: Thanks to forum’ so we decided to try an international event,” A&WMA Past President Edith explained Section President Chan. criteria that operate similarly to those in North Ardiente of Navistar and America, although the actual levels and form of Antonio Pires from their The Regulatory and standards vary. Steady progress has been made in Brazilian subsidiary for Environmental Setting reducing ambient concentrations of ozone; how- facilitating participation by A&WMA President Jeff Muffat The relationship between Brazilian states and the ever, the standard continues to be exceeded. and Past President Rick Sprott. federal government is somewhat similar to that of A&WMA especially wishes to Canadian provinces and their federal government Several years ago, CETESB was directed to cease thank Julio Tocalino Neto, in Ontario. In these countries, the regional govern- issuing air quality licenses since the city of São Director of Revista Meio Ambiente Industrial, for ments often take the lead in environmental regu- Paulo was violating the ozone standard (termed organizing the host event, lation. In the United States, states are often the “saturated” in São Paulo’s decrees or regulations). Feira Internacional de Meio pioneers, but the U.S. Clean Air Act (CAA) clearly Faced with this impasse, CETESB devised a more Ambiente Industrial (FIMAI directs the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency creative approach. Decree Number 52.469 issued XII), and sponsoring the (EPA) to set standards and largely dictate to the in December 2007 provided for a cap-and-trade Section’s conference. All photos courtesy of FIMAI states how they will be implemented. In addition, program for basically particulate matter and ozone and the Brazil Section. EPA conducts strong oversight of how states precursors (nitrogen oxides [NOX] and volatile