Análise da infraestrutura de limpeza urbana e manejo de resíduos sólidos em 88 municípios do estado do Rio Grande do Norte

Abstract

Solid waste management and urban cleaning are one of the four pillars of basic sanitation. When planned effectively, these services promote improvements in public health, quality of life and environmental sustainability. This study aims to analyze the urban cleaning and solid waste management infrastructure of 88 municipalities located in Rio Grande do Norte (RN), which represents just over half of the state's municipalities. The results revealed a worrying pattern in the management of urban cleaning and solid waste management, since the majority of the municipalities analyzed (75) still dispose of their waste inappropriately in dumps, while only 4 municipalities correctly send their waste to sanitary landfills, and it was also found that only around 10% of the municipalities practice selective collection. The analysis also highlighted a significant disparity in the coverage of solid waste management services between urban and rural areas, with an average of 99.6% coverage in urban areas compared to just 47.1% in rural areas. On a positive note, most municipalities have contracts with private companies specializing in the collection of Health Service Waste. Finally, this study can serve as a guide for managers and professionals in the field of sanitation, offering directions to change the current scenario of urban cleaning and solid waste management in the state. Furthermore, it is presented as a tool to support decision-making, providing subsidies for the implementation of sectoral policies and specific programs in this area of sanitation