Solid waste and urban cleaning in the Brazilian Amazon: Experience report
Keywords:
Solid waste, Public cleaning, Amazon, Stream, RecyclingAbstract
The management of solid waste and urban cleanliness is a delicate issue in the Amazon, where, for example, all urban streams in the city of Manaus have already been polluted. Voluntary public cleaning actions and education regarding solid waste management are therefore necessary. This experiential report aims to describe the experience of Civil Engineering students from the University of the State of Amazonas in an activity of solid waste collection and urban cleaning in the Brazilian Amazon. To assess the conditions of the Tarumã-Açu stream, located in the North region of the city, the authors participated in the 78th cleaning campaign organized by the Non-Governmental Organization 'Remada Ambiental,' where the collection mainly consisted of plastic, metal, glass, and textile waste in plastic bags, with the aid of protective gloves. Approximately four tons of waste were collected, which were later disposed of in the Manaus landfill. It was identified that the waste was predominantly household and not suitable for mechanical recycling processes.
