Inclusão socioprodutiva dos catadores de materiais recicláveis e reutilizáveis dos consórcios intermunicipais de resíduos sólidos

Abstract

The municipalities in Ceara that join consortia and implement selective waste collection through cooperatives or associations of recyclable and reusable materials collectors will have priority access to public resources, technical support, and actions related to environmental education. Despite the benefits established by the National Solid Waste Policy for the affiliated municipalities, little progress has been made in the socio-productive inclusion of collectors who still largely remain in informal and precarious working conditions. Thus, the general objective of the research is to evaluate the initiatives of the Intermunicipal Consortium for Integrated Solid Waste Management – COMARES UCV regarding the promotion of socio-productive inclusion of collectors, enabling them to achieve satisfactory conditions of dignity, income, and security. To achieve the general objective, the following specific objectives were developed: to identify actions aimed at the socio-productive inclusion of collectors in COMARES UCV before and after its implementation; to assess the effects of COMARES UCV' actions on the socio-economic condition of collectors; and to evaluate the perception of social actors in the management of urban solid waste regarding the effectiveness of actions aimed at the socio-productive inclusion of collectors. The study uses a qualitative approach to analyze the research information and data. The model used for analysis assumes that changes in the institutional and organizational framework of urban solid waste management have effects on the behavior and well-being of the social actors involved, particularly on solid waste collectors. The analysis is carried out in three stages: identification of actions for the socio-productive inclusion of collectors in COMARES UCV; evaluation of the effects of actions on the socio-economic condition of collectors; and analysis of the perception of social actors on the effectiveness of actions for the socio-productive inclusion of collectors. The results show that COMARES UCV and its affiliated municipalities have not developed sufficient actions to promote significant changes in the quality of life of collectors. The results and the product of this study are presented as tools to assist in the reformulation of policies proposing the socio-productive inclusion of recyclable and reusable materials collectors.