IMPLEMENTATION OF A VOLUNTARY DROP-OFF POINT FOR WASTE ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT AT A HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION: A REVERSE LOGISTICS EXPERIENCE IN THE CARIRI REGION OF CEARÁ

Abstract

Improper disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) can cause environmental and health impacts, in addition to wasting materials that could be recovered. This article describes and analyzes the implementation of a temporary voluntary drop-off point (VDP) at the Information Technology Building of Centro Universitário Paraíso in Juazeiro do Norte, Ceará. The objective was to test the feasibility of a university-led reverse logistics initiative, combining selective collection, raising awareness among the academic community, and forwarding materials to a regional recycling organization (whose identity is kept confidential in this article). The research is characterized as an experience report, descriptive in nature and predominantly quantitative in approach, complemented by operational records and team observations. Implementation took place between March and June 2026, involving the installation of the VDP, a digital campaign, and the sorting, weighing, and delivery of the waste. A total of 8.413 kg of materials was collected—comprising 16 main items and various components—representing 84.13% of the 10 kg target. The campaign reached an estimated 100 people, and the report documents the transfer of all collected material to the receiving partner. The experience indicates that a low-cost, interdisciplinary, and regionally coordinated initiative can facilitate a local stage of reverse logistics. However, the short collection period and the lack of a subsequent assessment of the final disposal limit the ability to measure the initiative's environmental and educational impacts.