Resumo

Solid urban waste (MSW) disposal is a major issue in the 21st century. Brazil produced 11% more waste in a decade. Urbanization and the Brazilian economy have failed to absorb and retain a large share of the population in the formal job market and we have now 38.1 million informal workers. Unqualified workers suffer more unemployment and other social difficulties. Waste collection and throwaway products help some Brazilians subsist. Governance Network Theory - GNT may address the complexities, interdependencies, and dynamics of public problem solving like MSW in São Paulo.

The core of this study is one of the author`s experiences in using Waste collectors as Active Recycling Agents (‘Agentes Ativos de Reciclagem” - AAR) working in the process of his home renovation in peripheral neighborhoods of São Paulo Municipality in the same site where an Ecoponto, a voluntary delivery station exist. Discussion will center on Solid Waste National Policy - PNRS, Sustainable Development Goal 12, Governance Network Theory, and the need for a complete recycling system. It supports a Waste Governance Network, creating a dialogue between society, AARs, and the public sector.

The present study (qualitative research) seeks to improve the PNRS challenges by redefining the concept, using the designation 'Active Recycling Agent' instead of Waste. It is crucial to push public sector actions` aiming to improve the working conditions of these professionals, who are fundamental human resources for the management of sustainability and to comply with PNRS, minimizing health risks and reducing losses of useful MSW. Furthermore, AAR´s job could be economically viable and ecologically efficient if some new arrangements would be assembled.

The Active Recycling Agent could be a better provider of environmental services to society. The circular economy is one pillar of PNRS, and the use of MSW can reduce the extraction of renewable and non-renewable natural resources from nature, reduce pollution, save water and energy, extend the useful life of landfills, and contributes to sustainable development. This study shows that building community networks considering AAR as the leading actor in a ‘regional circular economy’ could be of mutual benefit, reducing the cost of both homes and firm renovations and increase their monthly income.

Active participation was the main method applied in this study, essential for building a collective understanding of the waste collectors' praxis in their daily lives. The four directly involved AARs are 35–55-year-old men with incomplete primary education. Although they contribute to environmental issues, Network Governance arrangements may overcome limitations as: i) low collector remuneration ii) unstable infrastructure ii) unstable infrastructure for collection and sorting, iii) limited scope for selective collection, and iv) an incompleteness of the Recycling Social System (RSS).

An analysis of their relevance to PNRS and the relevance of Ecopontos and ARR in a community network for MSW. After this experience, this study presents a capacity building to increase the monthly income was achieved by four AARs. The Active Recycling Agent is a provider of environmental services to society because, with this activity, it reduces the extraction of renewable and non-renewable natural resources from nature, reduces soil, water, and air pollution, saves water and energy, extends the useful life of landfills, reduces waste and contributes to sustainable development (like SGD 12).