Difficulties in performing selective waste collection in the city of Manaus, Brazil

Abstract

Scientific studies have increasingly shown that what is garbage is wasted resources, solid and of other natures. Much of this waste is generated inside urban and rural households, forcing citizens to rethink their commitment to reusing what many still consider garbage. This study aimed to explain the main difficulties in managing selective waste collection in Manaus, Brazil. It used the survey method to generate an in-depth explanation of how these difficulties occur, inverting the traditional logic of this method. Data were collected through an electronic questionnaire with open questions, organized and analyzed using semantic techniques, and the results were generated with the recommendations of the scientific-technological method. The conclusion presents six distinct and interconnected types of difficulties that prevent the effectiveness of selective waste collection in the city.