Índice de gestão integrada de resíduos sólidos para apoio à decisão em municípios

Abstract

Municipalities around the world face a major challenge in proper integrated solid waste management, mainly due to the urbanization and the industrialization process, which have increased the amount and diversity of generated waste, making the management of the waste a complex process. In addition to that, the relation between the management and the political, economic, environmental, social and cultural aspects of the municipalities require the development of appropriate tools to help cities understand those aspects and the interrelationships between them. In this sense, indexes and indicators are excellent tools that can help municipal administrators to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the integrated solid waste management, to plan priority actions and to direct public investments. Within this context, this research proposed the construction of the Integrated Solid Waste Management Index (ISWMI), using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. For the development of the ISWMI, 56 indicators (criteria) and 143 sub-criteria were identified, considering the solid urban waste, the health service and the civil construction, respecting the limits of the participation of the government in their management. The indicators were grouped into five dimensions: operational, environmental, political-economic, educational and social. The index was applied in municipalities located in the south of Minas Gerais State, reaching a global value of 0.49 (Santa Rita do Sapucaí), 0.58 (Pouso Alegre), 0.60 (Machado) and 0.70 ( Três Corações), corresponding to low efficiency in the integrated solid waste management in the municipality of Santa Rita do Sapucaí and, in the other municipalities, a medium efficiency. These results reflect, in a general way, the the lack of a selective collection program, social inclusion, specific legislation, sustainable practices, training and employee training, environmental education, and integration among management stakeholders (public, private, and the population).The application of the index allowed the identification of the aspects to be improved and prioritized in the integrated solid waste management, serving as a monitoring tool and management evaluation, providing subsidies for the implementation of policies and strategies aimed at increasing the efficiency of the integrated solid waste management for sustainable development.