Integration of informal recycling sector in Brazil and the case of Sorocaba City

Abstract

Catadores are people who collect and sell materials that can be recycled. This activity has been done informally in many countries for years. Recently, a recognition process has begun for the informal recycling sector, with public and private initiatives. In Brazil, catadores started out associating with each other in co-operatives in the 1980s. In 2010, the Solid Waste National Policy was approved, promoting the inclusion of theses co-operatives in the formal waste management system. However, only in 25 out of 5670 Brazilian municipalities have hired co-operatives as Private Service Providers. The integration of the informal sector has contributed with social, economic and environmental benefits; income generation, reduction of poverty and resource preservation are highlights. Although there was a legal progress, there are great challenges for various actors involved. This paper aims to diagnose the informal recycling sector, emphasizing the integration process that has happened in Brazil. For this, a substantial literature review and a case study were conducted, applying the tool ‘InteRa’ to the case of Sorocaba. The case showed that it is possible to improve the integration of catadores in the formal waste management system. The co-operatives achieve recycling rates of 2%, higher than the official national rate of 1%. However, we estimate that autonomous pickers increase total recycling in Sorocaba to 9%, still short of the 25% target via source segregation. Therefore, continuing the integration process will benefit both the pickers, and also the municipality through savings on landfill costs.