Recycling in Brazil: Study advocates for revised legislation and public-private partnerships

Brazil’s recycling infrastructure has “gaps” in implementing recycling policies and regulations, according to a newly released study. The research challenges the competency of two Brazilian laws and argues for better public-private partnerships and improved policy frameworks for waste management.

The study concludes that as more waste management policies are implemented by municipal solid waste (MSW) services, the efficiency of solid waste management decreases.

Published in Sustainability, the research analyzes the interaction between efficiency, productivity, and the policy of recyclable materials in MSW services in Brazil. It examined data from the National Sanitation Information System (SNIS) for 199 MSW services from 2013 to 2022. 

Results indicate an average recycling efficiency of 61.9% and a general loss in productivity over the nine year period. The study determines factors such as population density, gross domestic product, and the COVID-19 pandemic as influential to the efficiency and productivity of MSW services. 

Specifically, the study challenges the competency of Law 14 260/2021 and Law 11 445/2007, indicating that the outcomes of these regulations have made no “positive impact” on recycling infrastructure in Brazil. 

Brazilian recycling regulation has had “little practical impact” and “no positive impact” on waste management, finds latest research.“The [study] findings raise concerns about generating incentives to advance recycling policies, as they cast doubt on the economic efficiency and technological advancements concerning the dilemma between indiscriminate and selective collection, and whether the recovery of recyclable materials will prove economically viable,” say the researchers. 

Ineffective regulation

Brazil operates a decentralized form of waste management at three levels: the Union (central government), states, and municipalities. 

Moreover, the study states that municipalities are responsible for more than 94.6% of MSW management — covering approximately 73.3% of the population. 

Various laws govern the collection and management of MSW. In 2007, Law 11 445/2007 set the standard for universal access to MSW, which was strengthened by the establishment of the National Solid Waste Policy in 2010, aimed at prioritizing recycling economic and social potential. 

The research indicates that Law 11 445/2007 had “little practical impact on improving efficiency, especially as Brazil approaches the 2033 deadline for universalizing basic sanitation services, which includes waste management.”

The study accounted for workers and vehicles in analysis of waste management efficiency.More recently, Law 14 260/2021, regulated last year by Decree 12 106/2024, aims to incentivize the recycling industry to increase efficiency. 

However, the study concludes that “no positive impact from [Law 14 260/2021] has been observed scientifically so far, and it remains uncertain whether regulatory Decree 12,106/2024 for this law will improve the situation.”

Data collection

The researchers collected data from the SNIS database, focusing on urban sanitation services in all Brazilian regions. A Dynamic Efficiency and Productivity Model — a framework that evaluates efficiency over time — captured the “intertemporal” nature of MSW management efficiency, accounting for the impact of workers and vehicles. 

After DEA-Solver-PRO software and statistical analysis calculated efficiency and productivity scores of various waste management systems, the researchers concluded that: “Contrary to expectations, the study’s results suggest that the more solid waste recovery policies implemented by MSWs, the less efficient the management of solid waste becomes.”

“Regarding productivity, the recovery policy appears to be causing technological regressions, despite advancements in Brazilian legal frameworks.”

Recycling system challenges

The study addresses MSW in Brazil as a “chronic issue” due to poverty and lack of funding.The study indicates that recycling in Brazil is hindered by inadequate infrastructure, low public awareness, and weak recycling policies. It addresses MSW as a “chronic issue” due to poverty and lack of funding. 

Moreover, the study determines waste mismanagement, including disposal and final treatment, as potentially leading to social and environmental consequences. 

Recently, Packaging Insights spoke to Dr. Mércia Fernandes, a commercial representative for Brazil at plastic fabrication company Gaia Biomaterials. Fernandes highlighted Brazil’s primary challenges to plastic circularity, including its large land mass, as reasons for lacking waste collection and treatment policies.

To counter the challenges facing Brazilian recycling infrastructure, the researchers recommend: “Deepening the debate on defining benchmarks for the sector. This includes, among other aspects, analyzing the allocation of public funds to recycling initiatives and the role of regulatory agencies in promoting service efficiency. These topics demand further attention and contributions.”