Dear Participants in ZEUS list of IC-MFA-IBS and friends,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

June 5th  is WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY, the theme of this year is TIME TO ACT

With over 16 years of environmental management experience in the field of
recycling and reuse of wastes, it is a learning experience for me to chair
Manfred.Fehr, M.d.R.Calcado and D.C.Romao's presentation about their paper
"Landfill Diversion of biodegradable seen and solved as an administrative
challenge". Likewise. I am personally honored to welcome each one of you for
this meaningful paper discussion session of Internet Conference on Material
Flow Analysis of Integrated Bio-Systems (IC-MFA-IBS).

The paper is significant in more than one aspect; such as, Life Cycle
Analysis (LCA) used as a tool to  influence the management strategies  and
providing vital information with quantitative analysis for administrative
decisions. It considers consumption and disposal bio-systems to achieve the
landfill diversions, The paper is further an attempt to evolve a pro-active
model.

Research work in developing countries in almost all continents in the Solid
Waste Management  reveal a tendency of departure from conventional
engineering solutions to community based decentralized systems with social,
economical and ecological considerations. India is also an example with
hundreds of urban settlements showing indications. The paper now presented
provides various experiences from a  local action in Brazilian and highly
relevant as a case study. In the management strategy, to revoke economic
instruments the  paper seems to provide appropriate background.

The IC-MFA-IBS has certainly got enriched in scientific knowledge and
experience by this paper ably communicated by a team lead by Dr.Manfred Fehr,
Environmental expert in management and project engineering. The two other
professionals are Miss.Marilda dos Reis Calcado,M.Sc,Chemical
Engineer,Environmental Consultant  and Ms.Daniela Cursino
Romao,B.Sc.Biologist and Environmental Consultant. The Brazilian case study
will certainly provoke the participants in the internet conference, I believe.

I would like to introduce one more person who will play an important role in
facilitating this session; Jorge F.Gonzalez from Mar del, Argentina who is
assisting me as the co-chairman. As I dont have any information about Jorge
Gonzalez, I request Dr. Gonzalez to introduce himself to the audience.

One more point of relevance seems to be a question raised in the paper -
quote " Although the technical aspects of diversion are well attended to,
diversion rates achieved in practice are low" unquote.
While the paper itself is part of answer to this question for professionals
in the area, the challenge of bridging the gap is always there.

Therefore, I would like to open the floor for questions directly to
Dr.Manfred Fehr, Miss M.dos R Calcado and Ms.Daniela C Romao. When you are
posing a question to them, please identify yourself with area of work and
make very clear reference to the section of paper your question refers. This
may be considered by all participants to make the deliberations focused.

I hope each one us get a learning experience in the process and enjoy the
interactions from cross cultural background. In advance, special thanks to
Jacky Foo for making it happen.

Namashkar
(Good wishes in many Indian languages)

V.Jagannatha
Chairman & Planning Member,IC-MFA-IBS,
External Research Scholar,Harnessing Urban Waste,Bangalore University,India
Convener, Mysore Local Agenda Network
e-mail : jags_environs57@yahoo.com