Gestão de resíduos sólidos e a percepção ambiental acerca da temática sob a visão da população, catadores e gestores públicos de Pombal-PB

Abstract

The research had the general objective of evaluating the environmental perception of the population, collectors and public managers of Pombal-PB regarding solid waste management with a view to presenting proposals for improvement in its management. The specific objectives are: Diagnose the socioeconomic and cultural profile of the population, collectors and public managers; Describe the environmental perception that the population, collectors and public managers have in relation to solid waste management in the municipality, Develop and make educational material available to the municipality to assist in solid waste management. They consist of descriptive research, which involved 272 people in the urban area, 47 collectors, including associates and informal collectors, and two public managers (mayor and secretary of the environment). Data collection took place through semi-structured interviews, photographic records and informal conversations. The data was analyzed according to the nature of the questions. The subjective questions were evaluated and interpreted according to Bardin's (2004) content analysis technique, while the objective ones were evaluated using simple descriptive statistics. To create the educational booklet, Canva Software was used. Regarding the environmental perception of the population, it was possible to verify that they do not recognize their role in solid waste management, therefore they do not collaborate with the prior separation of solid waste, in addition to the fact that the population lacks information and guidance regarding selective collection. It was found that collectors of recyclable materials recognize their role in solid waste management, however, their work is hampered by the lack of support and collaboration from the population and the municipality. Although they constitute a key element in the recycling chain, they still face a harsh reality of work. Although the mayor and the secretary were interested in applying solutions to mitigate the problem of solid waste, on the other hand, there was a lack of support and professional development for collectors with the offer of subsidies inconsistent with the group's reality. The secretaries of environment, infrastructure and education were pleased with receiving the booklet, demonstrating the joy of having educational material that can assist in solid waste management, revealing the importance of returning academic research to society.