THE ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL FEASIBILITY OF SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN BRAZIL: A MATHEMATICAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

This study demonstrates the functioning and applicability of the VERDES program in the context of Brazil. The generation of household solid waste in the country has increased significantly in recent decades, and public authorities responsible for managing this waste have been adopting recycling as a strategy to reuse urban waste, both as raw material and as a source of employment and income, especially for those with lower educational backgrounds. The private sector and local governments are working together on projects to establish recycling plants, though these initiatives are still in their early stages and lack large-scale results. Brazil's economic potential, by applying reverse logistics and utilizing the VERDES program, could reach significant values, with part of these resources returning to public coffers if selective collection were implemented for 100% of urban waste and fully recycled. However, as presented in this study, Brazil misses out on economic opportunities worth hundreds of millions of reais annually by not adopting a comprehensive waste management policy that maximizes the utilization of generated waste. Nevertheless, the existing formal and informal recycling efforts already generate thousands of jobs in the country, contributing to economic and social development.