Limitations of urban solid waste management in small municipalities

Abstract

The problem that involves the solid waste is one of the problems that the public administration lives, the inadequate management generates not only a negative economic but also environmental and social impacts. In this way the objective of the study was to diagnose and propose guidelines for the management of urban solid waste (MSW) in the Matelândia city / PR. However, a qualitative-quantitative survey of MSW generated in the city was carried out by determining the gravimetric composition of the waste destined to the landfill from the city, the datas were obtained of daily per capita generation and density of residues; the analysis of the environmental conditions of the destination adopted, according to the evaluation of waste landfills and conditions of the waste collector cooperatives, waste quality index (IQR) and selective collection index (ICS), respectively. The data were collected in loco and analysis of the environmental perception of the residents developed based on the application of interviews and elaboration of thematic maps generated according to the answers obtained. The results showed that an average of 2.9 tons of waste is disposed in the landfill, 31% of which are organic waste, 24% waste, 18% others, 9% plastics, 8% paper and cardboard, 4% metal and 1% glass. The density of the waste was calculated at 128 kg.m-3 and the per capita generation at 672 kg.dia-1. The obtained IQR was 5.0 and the ICS was 4.2, classifying the operating conditions as inadequate, within their relative classification ranges. In all, 542 households were interviewed, of which 66% said they didn’t know the final destination given to MSW, 22% indicated the landfill and 12% reported the landfill. The regulation of the schedule in the conventional and selective collection, adequacy of the operational infrastructure of the landfill and improvement in the working conditions of the members’ collectors’ cooperative were the propositions established according to the diagnosis. The information collected from the USW provides the public manager with not only the volume of waste generated but also an overview of the management that covers everything from generation (residences) to disposal (landfill and recycling association). From the aspects, they can be positive or negative; the public manager is supported to carry out the planning of corrective and / or preventive actions.