Driving Local Action for the UN 2030 Agenda: Challenges in Rural Selective Waste Collection

Resumo

The demands of industrial sectors have been growing since the Industrial Revolution due to population growth associated with the prevailing consumerist model, requiring increased product generation, which, in turn, results in a high percentage of solid waste. In Brazil, solid waste management (SWM) is precarious and fails to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outlined in the United Nations (UN) Agenda 2030. According to the Agenda, achieving the SDGs requires the implementation of SWM across all social spheres. Thus, the objective of this study was to implement selective waste collection in the community of Baixão dos Honoratos, municipality of São Gabriel, Bahia, contributing locally to achieving the SDGs. Ten families participated in the study, separating recyclable materials into categories at their homes, with weighing conducted every 15 days over a three-month period. On-site visits were conducted to enhance the dissemination of Environmental Education knowledge within the community. The most representative categories were organic waste (64.6 kg), rejects (44.3 kg), and plastics (34.1 kg). The initiative resulted in the establishment of local selective waste collection, accumulating three bags of recyclable materials that were delivered to a local association. Selective waste collection was carried out by most participants throughout the study, demonstrating that the incentives provided were effective in changing their habits. However, public sector involvement is essential to ensure the continuity of the positive results achieved in the community.