Territorialização da comercialização de resíduos sólidos na Região Oeste de Santa Catarina : agentes e mercados.

Abstract

Addressing the socio-environmental issue in Brazil, in particular, the problem of urban solid waste, selective collection and the organization of recyclable material collectors, in interface with current legislation, has been a reflective exercise. Especially from the point of view of (re) thinking and dialectically understanding the production and consumption of and in space and the discourses of sustainability and production that involve the capitalist phase of the current economy. Such concerns become complex at a time when capitalist relations of production go through blunt and systematic crises. Crises that strongly affect the processes of restructuring work, unequal appropriation of natural resources, stimulating consumption and speedy disposal of consumed products. This inserts, in the debate, new processes that go beyond the simple triad of producing-consuming-discarding, compromising the processes of relationship and production between individuals in society. It is in this complexity presented by this theme that it is proposed to identify how the solid waste commercialization chain is territorialized in the western region of Santa Catarina, with an emphasis on the role of agents and markets in the segment. For that, historical-dialectical materialism was used as a method of approach, aiming at the production of critical knowledge that alters and transforms the previous reality, both at the level of knowledge and at the social historical level, which presents contradictions and which is in constant transformation. The procedures for collecting and systematizing the data adopted were bibliographic and documentary research, conducting semi-structured interviews with the agents involved in the process and searching for secondary data from public sector sources, Non-Governmental Organizations - NGOs, companies, among others, through the which sought to gather information about the history of the associations, profile of the membership and organizational structure, commercialization of the raw material and relationships established with the intermediaries / scrap dealers. As a result, it was identified that recycling associations are important links in the reverse channels, sometimes as suppliers of raw materials to the industry, and sometimes as recipients of post-consumer solid waste. These organizations are fundamental agents for the implementation of the National Solid Waste Policy, but they receive modest investments in their partnerships, both with the public and private sectors. The organization of waste pickers in associations makes it possible to replace intermediaries and, consequently, add value to the material sold, both due to the increase in the quantity sold and in relation to the improvement of the quality of the materials. However, these aspects are not enough to strengthen and empower this category until progress is made in building an integrated solid waste management policy that can effectively guarantee the participation of associations in the recycling production chain. It was concluded, in this research, that the organizational strategies also interfere and strengthen the process of territorialization of this category. They understand territorialization as a process of social appropriation of fragments of space, through daily territorialities that portray the actions and behaviors of subjects in this process, which, adopted by associations in their work and political relations, define their territory and influence in achievements and realization of the right to associated work as a professional category. The production is considered to be of great flow and moves a network of approximately 420 middlemen. The possibility of articulation and integration between associations, in addition to direct marketing with recycling industries and the consequent addition of value to recyclable materials, can also promote the establishment and conduct of joint dialogue processes, such as the realization and monitoring of public policies , the provision of services, as well as the development of activities aimed at valuing the work of waste pickers.