Socio-productive inclusion of scavengers in municipal solid waste management in Brazil: Practices, paradigms and future prospects

In developing countries, municipal solid waste management (MSWM) is a complex task because, in addition to economic and environmental aspects, there is also the social aspect represented by the scavenger, an informal worker in the recycling chain, who actively participates in the collection, classification and commercialization of municipal solid waste with recyclable potential (MSWRP). Grounded on an integrative bibliographical review, this study aims to longitudinally reveal the socio-productive inclusion of scavengers in Brazil, by presenting a framework indicating the practices, paradigms and future prospects for the implementation of collection programs. From the results analysed, it is verified that the National Solid Waste Policy (NSWP) has helped to increase the overall life conditions of scavengers (income generation, health, quality of life and safety at work), however it has not yet removed them from situation of risk and vulnerability, factors that still need time to evolve. In order to improve MSWM in Brazil, the main constructions found are the following: research internationalization, performance management, collection and transportation management, classification and sorting management, product commercialization management, socio-productive inclusion of scavengers, understanding about cooperativism, professional qualification, health, quality and safety at work.