Brazil to help Lebanon on use of recycled waste in construction

Beirut – Brazil is going to help Lebanon
recycle waste to be used in the construction of roads and houses. The
information was supplied by Luiz Felippe Pinheiro Júnior, Foreign
Relations national manager at the Caixa Econômica Federal (Brazilian
Savings Bank).

The bank was appointed by the government of Brazil to implement a
cooperation project with Lebanon, after a Brazilian mission went to the
Arab country in October last year, in order to discuss possibilities of
cooperation for local reconstruction.

Due to its operations in the housing financing sector, the Caixa has
an engineering division concerned with studying ways of lowering costs
for construction work. The aim is to reduce expenses in projects
financed by the bank, especially for the low-income population.

The use of waste – debris of demolished or destroyed buildings – is
already practiced in Brazil. According to Pinheiro Júnior, it is
possible, for example, to use concrete as a sub-base for roads, and to
turn ceramic blocks into new blocks to be used in residential units.

The Caixa participated in the mission organized by the Itamaraty
(Brazilian Foreign Office), which also counted on the participation of
other government and private sector organizations, such as the Arab
Brazilian Chamber of Commerce. Representing Lebanon were the Ministry
of Foreign Relations and the Ministry of Management.

The latter is in charge of carrying out the cooperation project in
the construction field, along with the Caixa. The Lebanese were in
Brazil in May and, during visits to projects such as recycling plants,
they became acquainted with the way in which Brazil reuses material in
construction.

The next step, according to Pinheiro Júnior, will be to devise a
methodology for Lebanon. The Caixa should also transfer to Lebanon its
experience with correspondent banking, a system in which commercial
establishments provide banking services, such as receiving payments of
bills, payments of benefits, opening accounts, and providing credit to
the low income population.

One of the main goals of correspondent banking is to include in the
banking network impoverished people from regions that possess no
infrastructure in the sector.

During the visit to Brazil of representatives from the Lebanese
Ministry of Management, last May, the group also got to know the
Caixa’s correspondent banking operations. In this field, a project for
adapting the service to Lebanon should be developed as well.

The Lebanese who visited Brazil made a point of presenting the
Brazilian experience to the Central Bank in the Arab country, in order
to assess its viability in the country.

The Lebanese, according to Pinheiro Júnior, were also interested in
the electronic stock exchange, and digital certification systems used
by the Caixa. The two technologies would be adopted by the Lebanese
government.

Picture: Lebanon was devastated during the Israeli- Hezbollah war,
as you can see from this picture of south Beirut . The summer war and
the just completed war against the Islamist terrorists have enriched
Lebanon with debris of all types, which could be recycled and used in
construction, thanks to our Brazilain friends.

Via:Yalibnan

Sources : brazzilmag.com