SOLIDARY SELECTIVE WASTE COLLECTION PROJECT IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL: ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, INCLUSION OF WASTE PICKERS, AND UNIVERSITY-COMMUNITY COLLABORATION IN THE CARIRI REGION OF CEARÁ

Abstract

The intensification of municipal solid waste generation and the improper disposal of recyclable materials constitute a significant socio-environmental issue in Brazilian cities, requiring coordinated public policies and educational actions. This article presents and analyzes a "solidarity-based" selective waste collection project developed at the Demóstenes Rats Barbosa Elementary School in Juazeiro do Norte, Ceará. The project involved 27 students from a class of 32, recyclable material collectors, and the NGO Kariris Ambiental as a partner. Its objectives were to raise environmental awareness, encourage proper waste sorting, strengthen school-based environmental education, and value the work of the collectors. This study is an applied, descriptive research project with a qualitative approach supported by quantitative data, organized as a socio-environmental intervention case study based on a pre-structured project plan. The project encompassed participatory planning, the production of educational materials, a lecture on sustainability and selective waste collection, a practical demonstration of recyclable materials, a sustainability-themed competition for waste collection, and the proper disposal of the collected materials. Results showed an engagement rate of approximately 84% among students, the collection of 5.2 kg of waste (below the 10 kg target), increased student interest in environmental topics, a strengthened culture of sustainability within the school, and both symbolic and material recognition for the collectors and the partner NGO. Key limitations included a short implementation timeframe, limited financial resources, and reliance on external partners. The study concludes that the project contributed significantly to the students' socio-environmental development and provides a basis for expanding similar initiatives to other public schools.