Last week I attended a symposium sponsored by FIEMG, the Minas Gerais State Federation of Industries. The event was titled "Urban Solid Waste Management as a Business Opportunity.” The target audience was business leaders interested in investing in the recycling industry as well as waste generators looking at environmentally-friendly methods of disposal. I left the symposium somewhat happy with future prospects for improved waste management in Brazil, yet also concerned about what these changes might mean for the catadores, who might soon be competing in the market against imported, high-tech sorting machinery.
The panel participants stressed their desire to work with, not against, the catadores. They mentioned their desire to improve income and working conditions for this marginalized population, and for cooperatives of catadores to remain in charge of the sorting process across the country. But it is difficult for me to see how this would be achieved in practice. I have discussed at length the operational weaknesses of these cooperatives, especially with regard to creating efficient management structures and integrating automated equipment into the production process. Unless these issues can be resolved, new recycling operations will end up competing against, not working with, the wastepickers.
What worries me is that the window of opportunity might be closing. Brazil has set an international standard for wastepicker integration by developing a favorable public policy framework, providing generous financing for cooperatives, and organizing the support of a wide range of civil society actors. But despite these advances, low productivity remains an Achilles’ heel for this movement. With private sector businesses beginning to move in, the catadores may end up being pushed out of the market. Business as usual will not suffice for much longer.
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