Environmental impacts of solid waste: diagnosis and perspectives for sustainable management

Solid waste management is a significant challenge in Brazil, with a large amount of waste generated annually. Between 2014 and 2019, most solid waste was treated through recycling, but its efficiency is still limited. Composting is another important alternative for treating organic waste, but its implementation in the country remains incipient. The lack of adequate infrastructure for composting and recycling, combined with the continuous increase in waste generation, demands joint efforts between the government, the private sector, and civil society. Effective public policies and environmental education actions are essential to promote sustainable practices and reduce the environmental impacts caused by organic waste. In this regard, the aim of this article is to conduct a diagnosis of solid waste in Brazil, analyzing its composition and management. The results showed that more than 50% of the waste is organic, and even though there is a considerable percentage of recycling, Brazil still needs projects to enable better waste management.