THE INCOME FROM THE GARBAGE: A CASE STUDY ON THE COLLECTION AND SELECTION OF RECYCLABLE SOLID WASTE

Resumo

This article describes the planning process, collection, distribution, selection, and compression intobales of household solid waste of the city of Jaraguá do Sul in southern Brazil. Backgroundinformation was obtained in the company responsible to perform the selective collection, in theCooperative and Association of Collectors, and the company that sells the separated andcompressed / crushed material to the industry. A survey was carried out in the programs created bypublic agencies to raise awareness among the population about the importance of the selection ofhousehold waste. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured and non-participantobservation. From the analysis of results it can be concluded that the lack of training of associationmembers and cooperated personnel, due to their low educational level, may explain the absence ofplanning. It is also possible to affirm that the municipal government has developed programs toraise the awareness of the population, but there is still a little response by the people living thatcounty.