Aplicação de instrumentos econômicos na política brasileira de resíduos sólidos na transição para economia circular

Abstract

Studies that attempt to measure the economic, environmental and social gains associated with waste recycling refer to international publications that reflect realities that are very different from the Brazilian one. Brazil still lives with the practice of dumps; with the existence of waste pickers operating in conditions of high social vulnerability; and with a serious economic crisis that has been causing an increase in unemployment rates, a retraction of investment in Brazilian industry, and a loss of revenue by the Government. Faced with this very difficult scenario, solid waste management oriented towards a circular economy, regenerative in principle, can make sectors of the economy more competitive and resilient in a scenario of serious economic crisis and the supply of natural raw materials. In this context, this research, developed in 2 phases, aimed to analyze how the adoption of the guidelines provided for in the PNRS can impact the Brazilian economy and accelerate the transition to a more circular economy. Phase 1 analyzed, based on the input-output analysis (IOA), the economic impacts of the waste sector on the Brazilian economy resulting from the expansion of production and the investments necessary to implement the guidelines and goals established in the preliminary version of the National Plan for Solid Waste. The second phase sought to analyze the economic instrument ‘Recycling Exchange’ implemented in the State of Minas Gerais, as the first Payment for Urban Environmental Service (PSAU) aimed at managing MSW in Brazil. The step that addressed the IOA allowed us to verify that an increase of R$100,000,000 in the final demand of the solid waste sector causes an increase in the production value of R$150,603,930, with 33% generated in the other sectors, and 67% in the sector, in addition to the generation of 1,563 new jobs, 75% of which in the sector itself. The expansion of the waste sector, for the scenario of increase for 2023, which considers investments of BRL 28.32 billion, causes an increase in the value of final production of BRL 45.54 billion, with 38% of this amount generated in the sector itself and 61.7% in other sectors, with the creation of 461,909 new jobs. In the second phase that addressed the analysis of the ‘Recycling Exchange’ economic instrument, the results show that the instrument met the fundamental objectives of a PUES, having verified the double social and economic benefit of the social inclusion of waste pickers in the execution of public policy for solid waste management. It was verified the inducing role, in the case of glass, and continuity of service provision for plastic and paper, ensuring the sale of recyclables even in times of great fluctuations in the prices of these recyclables in the market. There was a strong indication that the sharp increase (350% in 4 years) in the annual amount of glass sold may be related to the increase in the number of waste pickers organizations that started to sell glass throughout the analyzed series, attracted by the incentive of remuneration by ‘Recycling Exchange’, since the market value remained practically altered throughout the period, and there was no expansion in the logistical network of capture of this material in the State of Minas Gerais, or the adoption of an active capture strategy of the material. glass over the period analyzed. It was possible to identify that the form of implementation of the ‘Recycling Exchange’ instrument combines the Brazilian reality with the need to advance public policies that favor the recycling chain and recognizes the environmental role of waste pickers as ecological agents in reducing negative urban externalities associated with waste.