Caracterização física dos resíduos sólidos domiciliares de Fortaleza: implicações para a determinação do seu potencial reciclável/poluidor

Abstract

This research work was designed to characterize home-produced solid residues (garbage) in Fortaleza county. The data gathering was made through visits to the following sites: twenty-five Garbage-Generating Zones (GGZ) within the six Regional Executive Offices (REO) responsible for the management of the town’s neighborhoods; the Jangurussu complex where selection and deployment of the garbage are made; sanitary earthworks; and estuaries of the Cocó and Ceará rivers. The whole working layout of garbage disposal, namely generation, collection, transport and final destination, was dealt with by means of the analysis of 792 samples of garbage produced in one-family, permanent households. As a result of the garbage discrimination all of its components were identified and their respective proportions in the twenty-five GGZs calculated. From data analysis it was possible to determine the average garbage distribution over the six REOs, and to point out the areas with greater production of recyclable materials, garbage yield per person and the projection of garbage production per person and household. The proportion of recyclable materials is very significant and they should be selectively collected so as to preserve their characteristics aiming at recycling. The index of per-person garbage production may also be used as a yardstick of household-produced residues to be eventually paid for by the municipality.