United Nations Earth Summit+5 Success Stories - Selective Solid Waste Collection and Recycling in Recife

EARTH SUMMIT+5
Special Session of the General Assembly to Review and Appraise
the Implementation of Agenda 21
New York, 23-27 June 1997
SUCCESS STORIES FROM BRAZIL

Selective Solid Waste Collection and Recycling in Recife

Location Recife, Brazil.

Responsible organization Urban Cleaning and Maintenance (EMLURB)

Description Recife is a capital city in Northeastern Brazil with a population of 1,300,000 people. The city is plagued with poor infrastructure resulting in a limited collection and treatment of domestic sewage and solid waste. The contamination of water by waste and incidence of water related diseases are high, entailing high costs to the public. Similar to most Brazilian cities, Recife has serious financial problems. The municipal institutions therefore turn to social structures and community approaches as alternatives to public services.
The Programme of Selective Collection and Recycling of Solid Waste was initiated in 1993 and aims at behavioural change for reducing the production of solid waste, encourages and promotes the commercialization of recyclable material and stimulates the generation of income. Men, women, children and youngsters work in cooperatives or other community based organizations, generating income through sustainable activities. Gender sensitive hygiene promotion and environmental education activities help reduce urban environment contamination, facilitate operation and maintenance and help reduce the municipal costs of urban clearing.

Issues addressed Environmental Impact, Hygiene, Income Generation, Partnership, Solid Waste.

Objectives Aims at behavioural change for reducing the production of solid waste; encourages and promotes the commercialization of recyclable material; and stimulates the generation of income.

Results achieved
73% increase in recycled materials in two years
62% annual increase in volume of material for recycling
482 ton/month reduction in solid waste
56.5% reduction of special operations for waste collection and 2856 dumpsites reduced to 124 (43.5% reduction)
5,796 tons/month less garbage collected
5 to 20 years expansion of the life of the dump site. Upgrading of the dumping area and waste treatment
Food supply for approximately 2,040 recycling families

Lessons learned The continuity of the initiatives undertaken by the Municipality together with the residents for the Selective Collection of Urban Garbage is ensured by a strong emphasis on environmental education and the high participation of CBOs and the private sector. Through environmental and hygiene education people learn to separate recyclable materials at the source and donate them to groups which collect, sort and sell them for a living.
The difficulties which occurred in the implementation period were caused mainly by the lack of management capacity-building and by strong price fluctuations in the recyclable materials market. Training on small business management teaches the participants how to deal with the market fluctuations.
Continued partnership between the public and private sectors is an important element of the programme. Recyclable materials will continue to be part of the urban waste and industries will be interested in having these materials.The involvement of the population also contributes to the communities' interest in exploring the various initiatives, as there is a lack of other opportunities for-employment and earning an income in the short term.
Regarding the conditions and structures established for social control of public services (representations, institutionalized councils, etc.), it has become politically difficult to interrupt the current level of support for these initiatives.
The reduction of the operational costs for waste collection ensures the durability of the project, especially in collection and transportation of solid waste to the recycling sites.
The programme practically covers its operational costs with reductions in the costs of public services and resources obtained by selling segregated and recyclable materials directly to the industries, once it does not longer requires door-to-door collection and establishes partnerships.
With the exception of the literacy programme and the training of the health promoters, all the projects should become activities operated regularly and without any investment from the Public Sector.

Financing Sponsor: Secretariat of Urban Environment Planning - SEPLAM
Av. Martin Luther King, 925 Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil 50030-093
Tel: (55-81) 2210065

Contact Main Contact:
Urban Cleaning and Maintenance - EMLURB
Av. Gov. Carlos de Lima Cavalcanti 09
Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil, 50070-110
Tel/Fax: (55-81) 221-6525
or:
Arch. Silvia F. Cavalcanti
Assessoria Presidencia, Av. Gov. Carlos de Lima
Cavalcanti 09 - Derby, 50070-110 - Recife - PE - Brazil
Tel: (55-81) 221-2391
Fax: (55-81) 221-1274

Copyright © United Nations
Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Comments and suggestions: esa@un.org
1 November 1997

	Selective Solid Waste Collection and Recycling in Recife
	Location	Recife, Brazil.
	Responsible organization	Urban Cleaning and Maintenance (EMLURB)
	Description	Recife is a capital city in Northeastern Brazil with a population of 1,300,000 people. The city is plagued with poor infrastructure resulting in a limited collection and treatment of domestic sewage and solid waste. The contamination of water by waste and incidence of water related diseases are high, entailing high costs to the public. Similar to most Brazilian cities, Recife has serious financial problems. The municipal institutions therefore turn to social structures and community approaches as alternatives to public services. The Programme of Selective Collection and Recycling of Solid Waste was initiated in 1993 and aims at behavioural change for reducing the production of solid waste, encourages and promotes the commercialization of recyclable material and stimulates the generation of income. Men, women, children and youngsters work in cooperatives or other community based organizations, generating income through sustainable activities. Gender sensitive hygiene promotion and environmental education activities help reduce urban environment contamination, facilitate operation and maintenance and help reduce the municipal costs of urban clearing.
	Issues addressed	Environmental Impact, Hygiene, Income Generation, Partnership, Solid Waste.
	Objectives	Aims at behavioural change for reducing the production of solid waste; encourages and promotes the commercialization of recyclable material; and stimulates the generation of income.
	Results achieved	73% increase in recycled materials in two years 62% annual increase in volume of material for recycling 482 ton/month reduction in solid waste 56.5% reduction of special operations for waste collection and 2856 dumpsites reduced to 124 (43.5% reduction) 5,796 tons/month less garbage collected 5 to 20 years expansion of the life of the dump site. Upgrading of the dumping area and waste treatment Food supply for approximately 2,040 recycling families
	Lessons learned	The continuity of the initiatives undertaken by the Municipality together with the residents for the Selective Collection of Urban Garbage is ensured by a strong emphasis on environmental education and the high participation of CBOs and the private sector. Through environmental and hygiene education people learn to separate recyclable materials at the source and donate them to groups which collect, sort and sell them for a living. The difficulties which occurred in the implementation period were caused mainly by the lack of management capacity-building and by strong price fluctuations in the recyclable materials market. Training on small business management teaches the participants how to deal with the market fluctuations. Continued partnership between the public and private sectors is an important element of the programme. Recyclable materials will continue to be part of the urban waste and industries will be interested in having these materials.The involvement of the population also contributes to the communities' interest in exploring the various initiatives, as there is a lack of other opportunities for-employment and earning an income in the short term. Regarding the conditions and structures established for social control of public services (representations, institutionalized councils, etc.), it has become politically difficult to interrupt the current level of support for these initiatives. The reduction of the operational costs for waste collection ensures the durability of the project, especially in collection and transportation of solid waste to the recycling sites. The programme practically covers its operational costs with reductions in the costs of public services and resources obtained by selling segregated and recyclable materials directly to the industries, once it does not longer requires door-to-door collection and establishes partnerships. With the exception of the literacy programme and the training of the health promoters, all the projects should become activities operated regularly and without any investment from the Public Sector.
	Financing	Sponsor: Secretariat of Urban Environment Planning - SEPLAM Av. Martin Luther King, 925 Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil 50030-093 Tel: (55-81) 2210065
	Contact	Main Contact: Urban Cleaning and Maintenance - EMLURB Av. Gov. Carlos de Lima Cavalcanti 09 Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil, 50070-110 Tel/Fax: (55-81) 221-6525 or: Arch. Silvia F. Cavalcanti Assessoria Presidencia, Av. Gov. Carlos de Lima Cavalcanti 09 - Derby, 50070-110 - Recife - PE - Brazil Tel: (55-81) 221-2391 Fax: (55-81) 221-1274