30 tons of recyclable materials are collected during BH Carnival

During the four days of revelry in Belo Horizonte, almost 30 tons of recyclable materials were collected by the collectors of ReciclaBelô, a popular recycling program during Carnival in BH, an initiative of cooperatives of recyclable material collectors, launched this year with the support of the Government of Minas and the Public Ministry of Minas Gerais (MPMG).

In total, 240 collectors were served at the three recycling centers available in different regions of Belo Horizonte, such as Centro, Savassi and Santa Tereza.

“This partnership helped us a lot, providing decent working conditions and visibility. We had uniforms, PPE, food and water for all collectors, making our work carried out with more dignity, in addition to generating income, which is essential for our survival. It was very satisfying and exciting”, highlighted Neli Medeiros, representative of the National Movement of Collectors.

29,726.2 kg of materials were collected from around 130 blocks spread across the capital of Minas Gerais. Only in the sorting set up at the Center, 11,151 kg were delivered, while the point set up in Savassi received 9,339 kg, a number almost similar to that recorded in Bairro Santa Tereza, which collected 9,236 kg of recyclables.

The material collected by the collectors was sent to sorting warehouses at reference cooperatives, where they will be pressed and stored for sale with recycling industries.

Workers who participated in ReciclaBelô received a daily allowance of R$150 for the environmental services provided, in addition to the amount related to the material collected. In total, more than R$110,000 was transferred between daily service and remuneration, which is equivalent to an average of around R$466 paid to the 240 project participants.

Only to the collectors who left recyclable material at the Center's sorting center, the amount of R$36,750 was paid, followed by the Savassi center, which registered the mark of R$29,700 in transfers. The plant located in Santa Tereza transferred R$27,300 to workers who worked there, totaling R$93,750.

The remuneration for environmental services, which was paid in proportion to the collectors' production during the four days of revelry in BH, reached R$ 18,575.31.

Recognition and sustainability

Belo Horizonte's recyclable material collectors have already promoted recycling during the city's Carnival in other years, however, autonomously, without financial and institutional support. ReciclaBelô, therefore, represents the recognition of the importance of professionals to the environment.

Cans and plastics, for example, without the activity of collectors, would end up in landfills and landfills. This time, with the important work of professionals, the materials will last longer and will be transformed into income.

“It is important to highlight that it was an initiative by the collectors themselves, bringing this perception of what was necessary to adapt to the reality of their day-to-day work. Therefore, ReciclaBelô was a very positive experience, in the sense that it brought more dignity to the work of the collectors, bringing more adequate remuneration in relation not only to what they sold in terms of material collected, but for the service they provide” , highlighted Semad’s Waste Superintendent, Alice Libânia.

ReciclaBelô

ReciclaBelô was created by waste picker leaders in BH and researchers from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). The program received financing of R$592 thousand through the Seed Platform, from MPMG, which manages Environmental Compensatory Measures resources. This platform receives socio-environmental proposals from third sector institutions, private companies and public authorities. The Minas Gerais Sanitation Company (Copasa) also invested R$282 thousand in ReciclaBelô, expanding the reach of the initiative.