Municipal Collection Research Articles

Understanding the occurrence and distribution of emerging pollutants and endocrine disruptors in sensitive coastal South Florida Ecosystems

Environmental exposure risk to different xenobiotics, which can potentially alter the function of the endocrine system, remains a great health and safety concern for aquatic species and humans. Steroid hormones, pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) have been identified as important aquatic contaminants due to their widespread occurrence in surface waters and their endocrine disrupting properties. Heavily populated areas in South Florida not served by municipal wastewater collection present an unexpected high risk of anthropogenic contaminants to nearby coastal systems through surface runoff and groundwater flow. Previous studies in South Florida have been largely concentrated on assessing the relevance of the fate and transport of inorganic nutrients, heavy metals and pesticides with regulatory criteria. Therefore, a significant gap exists in assessing occurrence, distribution and biological significance of the presence of human related organic contaminants in natural surface waters. In this study, we have developed a fast and sensitive online solid-phase extraction followed by liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (SPE-LC-HRMS) method using a Q-Exactive system for the determination of the occurrence and distribution of selected wastewater tracers/indicators, recalcitrant PPCPs and steroid hormones in South Florida surface waters. Seasonal and spatial variations of these contaminants were monitored from 2017 to 2019. The presence of total coliforms and E. coli were also evaluated in order to further assess water quality. Correlations between hormones and anthropogenic tracers were explored to better elucidate the sources, pathways and exposure risks to these contaminants. Caffeine, sucralose, Diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET) and carbamazepine were frequently detected in the water samples, which is indicative of extensive wastewater intrusion impacting the surface water. Estrone (E1), 17-β-estradiol (E2), and 17-α-ethynylestradiol (EE2) levels found in surface water raises concern of potential endocrine disruption effects in the aquatic ecosystem. Hazard quotient has been calculated to identify areas with high ecological risks to aquatic organisms.

Influence of synthetic wastewater on entrapped air on the isotactic and atactic polypropylene microplastic surfaces.

The municipal wastewater collection system is recognized as an initial point of interaction between microplastics (MPs) and the urban wastewater matrix. The raw wastewater contains a wide variety of organic and inorganic substances including chemicals and heavy metals. However, the fate of MPs in urban sewer systems is not yet well understood. In this work two types of virgin polypropylene (PP) samples, isotactic (iPP) and atactic (aPP), were exposed to two synthetic wastewater solutions in order to study their effects on the physical properties of the hydrophobic polymer surfaces. Particular attention was paid to the pollution adhesion at the air-liquid-solid interfaces of the surface air pockets entrapped on the polymer surfaces. The first wastewater solution consists of mixed fat, oil and grease (FOG) - surfactant and another which is an exclusively contained wastewater surfactant. The interaction experiment over a period of 10min between the polymer's air pocket and solutions indicated that the size of the bubble in the mixed FOG-surfactant solution increased more pronouncedly for iPP (%152) in contrast to aPP (%31) and was also compared with the greater surface roughness of the polymers. The size variation of the spherical cap on the immersed polymer surfaces were measured between 17µm and 85µm using image processing techniques while the data was analyzed by the Young-Laplace equation. The corresponding technical surface roughness of the polymers, the surface tension of the liquids and their air/water contact angle on the flat polymer surfaces were also measured. The results of this study indicated that surface air pockets influence the adsorption capacity of MPs and thus their buoyancy and contamination potential.

Epidemiology and predictors of occurrence of SCHISTOSOMA MANSONI infection in a low-endemicity area in northeast Brazil

In Latin America 96% of the cases of schistosomiasis occur in Brazil in low-socioeconomic status populations. The epidemiological characteristics and occurrence predictors of Schistosoma mansoni infection were determined in the Bananeiras community, located in Capistrano, a town in Ceará state, Brazil. Sanitary, environmental, socioeconomic, and behavioral data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. An investigation to assess S. mansoni infection was conducted using the Kato-Katz and Point-of-Care Circulating Cathodic Antigen (POC-CCA) methods. From the 258 subjects were analyzed, 54.3% (n=140) were women, median age 30 years. Thirty-three (12.8%) individuals were positive by either egg- and/or CCA-positivity. The highest positivity rate was found in the 30-39 year old group. There was no piped water supply, sewage network or municipal refuse collection service. Most individuals were illiterate or had not finished elementary school (66.3%). About 29.1% of the families had a monthly income below one Brazilian minimum wage and 91.1% reported contact with natural water sources. We found an association between infection and age group of 20-40 years, illiteracy, household with 7 inhabitants or more, household with up to 3 rooms and an outhouse. Contrarily, being 40 years old or older and household with up to 6 inhabitants were not risk factors. Schistosomiasis remains a public health problem in this municipality, evidencing a strong association with low socioeconomic conditions and high vulnerability. These findings reinforce the importance of identifying the factors associated with the infection for more effective guidance in actions in control programs targeting schistosomiasis prevention and control. 
 KEY WORDS: Schistosomiasis; Schistosoma mansoni; epidemiology; predictors; low endemicity;urim antigen.

RESÍDUOS SÓLIDOS NA ESCOLA: uma experiência vivenciada no curimataú paraibano, Brasil

Objetivou-se com esse estudo analisar a percepção da comunidade escolar quanto aos resíduos sólidos gerados por uma escola pública na cidade de Barra de Santa Rosa-PB. Tratou-se de uma pesquisa exploratória-descritiva de caráter qualitativo, com uso de aplicação dos questionários junto à comunidade escolar. Participaram da pesquisa 40 alunos de duas turmas do 8º e duas do 9º ano; 3 gestores, 12 funcionários e 26 professores. Desta forma, verificou-se que os resíduos recicláveis gerados na escola são misturados e descartados como resíduos comuns, porém, os papéis e os plásticos poderiam ser reaproveitados e reciclados, mas a escola não possui um Programa de separação de resíduos, isso talvez se justifique devido à inexistência de uma coleta seletiva municipal. Outro fato relevante observado foi o não aproveitamento dos materiais orgânicos, como restos de comida e cascas de verduras que são também misturadas e descartadas como resíduos comuns, enquanto poderiam ser reutilizadas para compostagem.

Correlates of diarrhea and stunting among under-five children in Ruvuma, Tanzania; a hospital-based cross-sectional study

Undernutrition affects 20% of children under five in the developing world. Stunting is a form of undernutrition when children have low height for their age. Global prevalence of stunting in 2019 was 21.4%, while current Tanzania national average is 34%. Ruvuma region has one of highest prevalence of stunting (44%) in Tanzania, which prompted this cross-sectional study on correlates responsible for this high prevalence. The study included randomly sampled children below 5 years of age who attended outpatient clinics at hospitals from Ruvuma between April – May 2019. The mean and median ages of children were 18 and 13 respectively. Among children, 46% were females and 45.6% were stunted. More male children (52%) were stunted than females. Through bivariate analysis, stunting was associated with gender (χ2 = 6.6759, df = 1, p = 0.009772), handwashing before food (χ2 = 5.1213, df = 1, p = 0.02363), location of hospital (χ2 = 3.851, df = 1, p = 0.04972) and use of Municipal garbage collection system (χ2 = 3.6814, df = 1, p = 0.05502). Moreover, diarrhea was associated with toilet sharing (χ2 = 5.4703, df = 1, p = 0.002), use of household's toilet (χ2 = 4.0224, df = 1, p = 0.004) and rinsing child feces into toilet (χ2 = 3.6814, df = 1, p < 0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that stunting risk increased with male gender (OR (95%CI) = 1.7945 (1.1944 – 2.712), age (OR (95%CI) = 1.3122 (1.1484 – 1.507), and decreased with handwashing before meal (OR (95%CI) = 0.5403 (0.3042 – 0.940). Finally, diarrhea risk increased with toilet sharing (OR (95%CI) = 2.154 (1.153 – 3.953) and decreased with child's use of toilet (OR (95%CI) = 0.510 (0.259 – 0.945). Our study revealed important correlates that determined observed high prevalence of stunting in Ruvuma. These correlates can be modified through health interventions to reduce this high prevalence.

Gram-negative bacteria carrying β-lactamase encoding genes in hospital and urban wastewater in Brazil.

Multidrug resistance mediated by β-lactamase in Gram-negative bacilli is a serious public health problem. Sewers are considered reservoirs of multiresistant bacteria due to presence of antibiotics that select them and favor their dissemination. The present study evaluated the antibiotic resistance profile and β-lactamases production in Gram-negative bacilli isolates from hospital sewage and urban wastewater treatment plants (UWWTP) in Brazil. Bacteria were isolated and identified with biochemical tests. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed by the disk-diffusion method and detection of extended-spectrum β-lactamase and carbapenemases by enzymatic inhibitor and conventional PCR. Differences in resistance to amoxicillin clavulanic, aztreonam, cefepime, and cefotaxime were observed in hospital sewage compared with urban sewage (p < 0.05). The multidrug-resistant phenotype was observed in 33.3% of hospital sewage isolates (p = 0.0025). β-lactamases genes were found in 35.6% of isolates, with the most frequent being blaKPC and blaTEM (17.8%), and blaSHV and blaCTX-M (13.3% and 8.9%, respectively). The data obtained are relevant, since the bacteria detected are on the priority pathogens list from the World Health Organization and hospital sewage could be released untreated into the municipal collection system, which may favor the spread of resistance. Changes in hospital sewage discharge practices, as well as additional technologies regarding effluent disinfection in the UWWTP, can prevent the spread of these bacteria into the environment and negative impact on water resources.

Sustainability analysis of new household connections to the municipal sewage collection network in Paraná

The implementation of sewage collection systems alone does not guarantee public health, since households must be correctly connected to the network in order to derive any benefit from these public works. In order to ensure an environmental and social return on investments in sanitation, a) population must be instructed concerning the role of each citizen, and b) companies responsible for the provision of water and sewage services must be managed in a coordinated and participative manner. This study sought to understand why many households do not respond promptly to the “Connect to the Network” program in the state of Parana and how much the further efforts cost to the sanitation company to regularize this problem. The methodology consisted of analyzing the program’s socio-environmental intervention strategies, interviews and service reports for 17 projects (13,286 household connections). The results: no projects achieved 100% of household connections; total connections were less than 80% in 40% of the projects; the additional cost of re-implementing social and environmental initiatives was R$ 680,000.00. We recommend that user representatives be allowed to participate in the network-deployment process, that social awareness and mobilization strategies be expanded and diversified, and that free home connections be completed for low-income families. This study may aid development agencies to arrive at a standardized methodology for the objective evaluation of socio-environmental initiatives that are to be carried out within the community; it may also aid in the fulfillment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), particularly Goal 6 (sanitation services for the entire population).

Educational planning, municipal education plan and public policies in Miracema do Tocantins - between the ideal, the written, and the accomplished

The present article is based on a bibliographical review, anchored in Lima and Kyoto (2007) and documentary research (Gil, 1999), based on the dialectical historical materialism method that indicates the whole of life in society [...] is "a way of understanding history and analyzing the evolutions and struggles in the economic and political sector" (AZEVEDO, 1999). We aim to describe the educational planning process in the municipality of Miracema do Tocantins, as resulting from the Plan, in the implementation of educational public policies and the articulation for the elaboration, monitoring and implementation of the SME 2015-2025, addressing perspectives, complexities, possibilities. As results, we apprehend a municipal documental collection produced from the guidelines, documents and guidelines of SASE/MEC, since 2013, when the SME was elaborated, which justified the elaboration of the Plan and which bases its monitoring and implementation process. However, we also learned that the SME's goals and strategies were minimally implemented.

Smart Waste Management System using IBM Watson Services

In present developed or developing countries wastage managements are one in the primary problems. This main issues to wastage managements to the overload of garbage bins, which spills out results in pollution and leads to spread diseases. The detection, monitoring, management of wastage into wastage bin as a complex processes that takes more humans effort, time &amp; cost while it is not suitable for presents day technology. The main aim is to design a system based using IBM Watson IoT methodology for collecting garbage from the particular area whose garbage bins are overflowing. These are papers proposes at a smart alert systems with the clear of garbage by giving continuous notifications to the receiver for cleaning the dustbins. This process is done by the sensor which is used as checking in the levels to garbage fills to the waste bins &amp; sending notifications to this municipal collection department. This is android application is used as intimates in the alert with micro controllers as the urbanoffice &amp; to performed in the remote monitor to the cleaning process. The notifications are sent as android application using Wi-Fi module.

Analysis of per capita revenue in catarinian municipalities according to net current revenue

Purpose: The objective of this research was to identify the per capita income in the municipalities of Santa Catarina based on Net Current Revenue and the relation between own revenues, transfers with the capacity of each municipality.&#x0D; Methodology: The present study, with regard to the objectives as descriptive, as it seeks to analyze public revenue per capita, analogous to procedures is characterized as documentary, since it makes possible, from the published reports, in relation to the approach to the problem, as quantitative research, using values ​​and their correlations. The period under analysis comprises the years 2015 and 2016. The sample consists of 295 municipalities in Santa Catarina.&#x0D; Results: The results show that, in the stratification and analysis, the Per Capita Net Current Revenue by size of Municipality, to which the larger municipalities have, proportionally, a better distribution of the municipal collection, which culminates in a greater capacity to cope with the demands social policies. On average, the per capita net current revenue of the municipalities of Catarinenses in the years 2015 and 2016 was R $ 3,332.61, with a variation between the minimum and maximum per capita income of R $ 1,377.24 and R $ 8,055.16, which shows a significant discrepancy between the analyzed municipalities.&#x0D; Contributions of the Study: Considering the values received by the municipalities of Santa Catarina, the research sought to demonstrate and clarify the influence of values received from the Union and the State for investment and maintenance of activities, depending on the population and size of each municipality.the planning and funding of resources for the benefit of the population.

Análise da receita per capita nos municípios catarinenses conforme a receita corrente líquida

Objetivo: A pesquisa objetivou identificar a receita per capita nos municípios catarinenses com base na Receita Corrente Líquida e a relação existente entre receitas próprias, transferências com a capacidade de cada município.&#x0D; &#x0D; Metodologia: O estudo que ora se apresenta, quanto aos objetivos como descritiva, pois busca analisar a receita pública per capita, analogamente aos procedimentos caracteriza-se como documental, pois torna possível, a partir dos relatórios publicados, em relação à abordagem do problema, como pesquisa quantitativa, com emprego de valores e suas correlações. O período em análise compreende os anos de 2015 e 2016. A amostra consiste nos 295 municípios catarinenses.&#x0D; &#x0D; Resultados: Os resultados apontam que, na estratificação e análise, a Receita Corrente Líquida Per Capita por porte de Município, aos quais, os municípios com maior porte possuem, proporcionalmente, melhor distribuição da arrecadação municipal, que culmina na maior capacidade de enfrentamento às demandas sociais. Na média da Receita Corrente Líquida Per Capita dos municípios Catarinenses, nos anos de 2015 e 2016, foi de R$ 3.332,61, com uma variação entre a receita per capita mínima e máxima de R$ 1.377,24 e R$ 8.055,16, o que demonstra haver discrepância significativa entre os municípios analisados.&#x0D; &#x0D; Contribuições do Estudo: Considerando os valores recebidos pelos municípios catarinenses, a pesquisa procurou demonstrar e esclarecer a influência de valores recebidos da União e do Estado por ente para investimentos e manutenção das atividades, em função da divisão populacional e porte de cada município, sendo informações uteis e relevantes para o planejamento e captação de recursos para aplicação em benefício da população.&#x0D;

La relación entre la captación de ingresos fiscales municipales y los recursos derivados de fuentes no tributarias tanto locales como externas en México

Municipal public revenues are classified as tax and non-tax. In this work, the relationship between the income that the municipalities receive through taxes and the rest of the components that integrate the total income is studied to establish to what extent the obtaining of resources whose origin is of non-tax origin affects the generation of local tax revenue. A data panel consisting of 310observations is used for each variable and a multiple regression model with fixed effects is used considering financial information of the 31 municipalities that are capitals of the federal entities in Mexico for the period 2008 - 2017. The results suggest that resources from federal and state transfers have a negative impact on the income levels obtained through municipal taxes. Likewise, the negative localized relationship between the contracting of public debt and the own fiscal resources could suppose a relaxation of the municipal collection policy. Finally, data on other income derived from local sources of non-tax origin such as rights, products and uses show a negative effect on the collection of income from tax collection.

Municipal waste recycling in big cities in Poland in the context of ecologisation

Abstract The goal of the paper is to evaluate and analyse changes in selective municipal collection, recycling level, and recovery, of waste. The article indicates the Polish legislation currently in force to systematise the organisation of waste management systems. It presents the participation of selective waste collection in the total municipal waste at the voivodeship scale, as well as changes in the number of individually segregated fractions (i.e. categories of waste segregation) of selectively collected waste in Poland. Moreover, the levels of waste recycling and recovery were analysed for the country’s ten largest cities, while also showing that the cities implement accepted goals of municipal waste recovery. On the example of Warsaw, the structure of collected waste was discussed and attention was paid to the problem of quality of collected waste, which results in it being sent to sorting facilities.

What is “informal” in informal waste management? Insights from the case of waste collection in the Tepito neighbourhood, Mexico City

This paper explores the meaning of the concept of informality as applied to the waste management sector, by presenting the case of municipal waste collection in a neighbourhood of Mexico City called Tepito. Tepito’s municipal service of waste collection is intricately related to informal activities of waste collection and management. This paper focuses on the work of informal street sweepers, who collect waste in certain streets of the neighbourhood, replacing the municipal collection service; and on that of “volunteers”, unwaged informal workers recruited by the garbage-men to help on the municipal collection route. The informal cash flows resulting from the work of the volunteers are also described. The case of Tepito illustrates two formal-informal arrangements in the provision of the waste collection service: the coordination of independent services, and a relation of interdependence where the formal system is sustained by informal work. By exploring the scale of informality, the actors involved, and its governance system, this paper suggests that informality exists not as a particular sector of waste management, but rather as unregulated practices carried out by governmental and non-governmental actors, which are enabled by an informal governance system, and which (in Tepito) play a crucial role in sustaining the municipal waste collection service. As different systems of service provision are co-constructed by both formal and informal elements, informality may best be identified at the level of practices that occur within such systems. Conclusions discuss policy implications and avenues for future research.

Modeling Tax Distribution in Metropolitan Regions with PolicySpace

Brazilian executive body has consistently vetoed legislative initiatives easing creation and emancipation of municipalities. The literature lists evidence of the negative results of municipal fragmentation, especially so for metropolitan regions. In order to provide evidences for the argument of metropolitan union, this paper quantifies the quality of life of metropolitan citizens in the face of four alternative rules of distribution of municipal tax collection. Methodologically, a validated agent-based spatial model is simulated. On top of that, econometric models are tested using real exogenous variables and simulated data. Results suggest two central conclusions. First, the progressiveness of the Municipal Participation Fund and its relevance to a better quality of life in metropolitan municipalities is confirmed. Second, municipal financial merging would improve citizens' quality of life, compared to the status quo for 23 Brazilian metropolises. Further, the paper presents quantitative evidence that allows comparing alternative tax distributions for each of the 40 simulated metropolises, identifying more efficient forms of fiscal distribution and contributing to the literature and to contemporary parliamentary debate.

Towards sustainable WEEE collection and transportation methods in circular economy - Comparative study for rural and urban settlements

A circular economy approach requires methods of resource management that are sustainable and efficient. A crucial process in waste management is collection and transportation of waste. One of the most valuable streams is waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). There is a variety of disposal methods available for residents and a variety of collection methods for companies.The scope of this study includes the application of artificial immune systems in planning routes of vehicles in a mobile program and in placement of containers in stationary collections of WEEE. The intent is to create a level playing field by comparing sustainability of the waste collections and transportation methods in optimal designs.The analysis includes a comparison of the three most common methods of WEEE collection including cost analysis and vehicle emission using case studies for urban and rural areas. The results show the importance of properly planned collection routes. Mobile collection is the most sustainable method of WEEE collection while drop off of waste by residents at municipal collection centers is the worst case due to high emissions and operation costs. The results and the proposed model give an opportunity to evaluate existing WEEE collection methods in urban and rural areas and propose some improvements for waste collecting companies.

Mayoral quality and municipal performance in Brazilian local governments

Abstract We test the influence of managerial quality on organizational performance using a panel data set on 827 (out of 853) Brazilian municipalities of the state of Minas Gerais over a six-year period (2005-2010). The intra-country and intra-state comparison controls for potential institutional, historical, and cultural variables. Local managerial quality is assessed in terms of mayoral education and experience (public and reelection), and municipal performance is operationalized as property tax collected per capita and property tax collected as a percentage of total revenue. The study covers the four years of the 2005-2008 mayoral administration and the first two years of the 2009-2012 administration. After testing the effect of political, economic, and ideological factors and controlling for other municipal factors, we find, contrary to our expectations, that mayoral quality fails to explain variance in property tax collection. Rather, political factors (legislature support and electoral cycle) seem to be more strongly correlated with municipal property tax collection. Specifically, municipalities in which the mayor enjoys more partisan support on the city council tend to collect more property tax. Moreover, compared to the first three years of mayoral administration, in the last year of mayoral administration – that is, during the mayoral election year – municipalities tend to reduce their property tax collection.

Community Resident’s Opinions and Perceptions on the Effectiveness of Waste Management and Recycling Potential in the Umkhanyakude and Zululand District Municipalities in the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa

Despite new environmental laws and regulations in South Africa during the last two decades, especially around municipal solid waste management, there is little emphasis towards waste minimization through recycling. Whereas most waste management research in South Africa has focused on urban municipalities, not much is known regarding the effectiveness of waste management services and recycling challenges in rural areas. This paper reports on the effectiveness of waste management practices from the perspective of community residents in selected rural districts of the KwaZulu-Natal province. A random sample comprised of 333 community residents was selected for questionnaire-administered interviews. Based on the opinions and perceptions of respondents, the provision of waste management services is generally inadequate. Apart from the successful collection of domestic solid wastes (66.7%) from households by municipalities, the collection of recyclable waste materials from illegal waste dumps (75%) and from households (68.7%) are not being adequately provided. Thus, levels of dissatisfaction regarding municipal collection services are very high (97.3%) amongst respondents. Furthermore, systematic recycling initiatives that involve communities are largely non-existent and most (96.7%) respondents lack relevant technical knowledge on waste recycling and how it can be carried out effectively through waste segregation at source and other processes.

Condicionantes da Arrecadação Tributária: Uma análise para os Municípios de Minas Gerais

Objetivando conhecer quais características municipais influenciam na arrecadação tributária própria dos municípios mineiros, o referencial bibliográfico desse artigo versa sobre o federalismo e a descentralização, indicando variáveis apontadas na literatura como condicionantes da arrecadação tributária municipal. A arrecadação própria depende principalmente das bases tributáveis no município e das alíquotas que incidem sobre essas bases. Assim, a renda do município, bem como o peso das atividades urbanas e o grau de formalização da atividade econômica, determinam o tamanho dessa base tributária e consequentemente, o montante de recursos arrecadados. Para analisar as características municipais, foram levantados dados secundários relativos à capacidade fiscal dos municípios de Minas Gerais para o ano de 2010, tendo em vista a disponibilidade de dados para este ano. Foi utilizada a Análise Fatorial para agrupar as variáveis, e a Regressão Quantílica (RQ) para verificar o efeito desses nos diferentes estágios de Arrecadação Própria Municipal (APM). Foram obtidos três fatores: “Aspectos Econômicos”; “Aspectos Estruturais” e “Aspectos Financeiros”, os quais agruparam as variáveis de acordo com a correlação apresentada entre elas. Com a RQ pôde-se perceber que esses fatores afetam de forma diferente os quantis de APM (q.10; q.25; q.50; q.75 e q.90), sendo que os maiores coeficientes são atribuídos a maiores níveis de arrecadação, demonstrando que esses fatores são mais influentes em municípios de arrecadação própria mais alta. Conhecer os condicionantes da arrecadação própria dos municípios permite à gestão pública implementar ações que evitem a ineficiência arrecadatória, fomentando as principais atividades econômicas que compõem a sua base de tributação.

Restauração de casas bandeiristas: experimentações e permanência

Este artigo busca demonstrar como a restauração arquitetônica das casas bandeiristas teve papel essencial no processo de atribuição de significação simbólica a tais moradias rurais, assim como na construção de um modelo conceitual e técnico de intervenção arquitetônica que definiu a tipologia da casa bandeirista tal como a conhecemos hoje. O artigo abordará as restaurações de cinco casas do acervo municipal, e uma casa de propriedade privada.