Resgate à cidadania dos catadores de materiais recicláveis do município de Formigueiro/RS

Abstract

This work presents a survey to the current situation of collectors of recyclable materials in the municipality of Formigueiro – RS, Brazil, where we searched relation between their profiles and the position as individual and social agent, even as to know the problematic related to solids waste in this municipality. To reach the goals, we applied interviews to collectors of recyclable materials to know their reality and how they survive. Students from Escola Estadual de Ensino Médio João Isidoro Lorentz, and people from many different sector of society in Formigueiro, also were consulted to evaluate their sense about questions related to environment, recycle, selective collect and about the role of collectors recyclable materials. The municipality managers were consulted about the advances and barriers related to solid waste, the role of collectors of recyclable materials as environmental agents and the possibility to install a selective collect program. The collectors, even enjoying what they do in those bad conditions, because they do not have better opportunity. The interviewed students and people in general although have the satisfactory environmental perception, they do not use it in everyday life. The public sector has no interest to find proper solutions to try solve the solid waste and the inclusion of collectors problem. We conclude that the collectors invisibility, front of population and government is a determinant factor to keep them in the margin of society.