Domestic flow of e-waste in São Paulo, Brazil: Characterization to support public policies.

Understanding the domestic flow of e-waste is essential for efficient waste management in urban contexts. However, diagnosis of domestic e-waste flow is complex due to its diffuse generation and dependence on consumer behavior. Here, we characterized domestic e-waste flow in São Paulo, Brazil (a megacity with roughly 11 million inhabitants in 3.5 million households), describing the stages of product acquisition, out-of-use storage, and end-of-life destination, via a population-based cross-sectional study using a statistically representative sample. We conducted household interviews using a structured questionnaire, with questions on characteristics, quantities, and behaviors of acquisition, replacement, storage, repair, and destination for 26 electric and electronic equipment (EEE) categories. Each household had on average 21 EEE (95% confidence interval [CI]: 19.7-21.7), of which 18 were in use and 3 were out-of-use. Out-of-use storage was common, occurring in 72.6% of households. Discarded EEE (i.e., e-waste) was destined for intended reuse (59.5%; 95% CI: 57.4-61.5%), recycling (20.4%; 95% CI: 18.8-22.1%), and, particularly for small EEE, municipal waste (16.0%; 95% CI: 14.5-17.6%). Other aspects of domestic e-waste flow (e.g., place and time of acquisition, second-hand acquisition, donation, intention to repair damaged EEE, and storage) were quantified and related to actions for public policies. This research shows that household surveys are useful for obtaining primary data to verify consumer behavior toward EEE. We expect the findings of this study to support decision-making for public policies related to e-waste management, particularly in countries where reverse logistics systems are in the initial phase of implementation.

Surface dental enamel lead levels and antisocial behavior in Brazilian adolescents.

Lead poisoning has been reportedly linked to a high risk of learning disabilities, aggression and criminal offenses. To study the association between lead exposure and antisocial/delinquent behavior, a cross-sectional study was conducted with 173 Brazilian youths aged 14-18 and their parents (n=93), living in impoverished neighborhoods of Bauru-SP, with high criminality indices. Self-Reported Delinquency (SRD) and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) questionnaires were used to evaluate delinquent/antisocial behavior. Body lead burdens were evaluated in surface dental enamel acid microbiopsies. The dental enamel lead levels (DELL) were quantified by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) and phosphorus content was measured using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Logistic regression was used to identify associations between DELL and each scale defined by CBCL and SRD scores. Odd ratios adjusted for familial and social covariates, considering a group of youths exposed to high lead levels (>or=75 percentile), indicated that high DELL is associated with increased risk of exceeding the clinical score for somatic complaints, social problems, rule-breaking behavior and externalizing problems (CI 95%). High DELL was not found to be associated with elevated SRD scores. In conclusion, our data support the hypothesis that high-level lead exposure can trigger antisocial behavior, which calls for public policies to prevent lead poisoning.