Management of Solid Waste Integrated to the Responsibilities of Small and Micro Business and Municipal Public Power

Abstract

The objective of this work was to highlight the knowledge and perception of managers of Small and Micro Business (SMB) regarding solid waste management in the ABC Paulista Region. The analysis considers the local applicability of Law N. 12.305/2010 (National Solid Waste Policy), specifically of the Municipal Solid Waste Plans. This is an exploratory and qualitative study. A sample of 29 (twenty-nine) SMB distributed in the commerce, industry and services sectors was used. The study reports the experiences and practices of these managers, composed mostly by owners, but also with the participation of non-proprietary managers. A documentary collection was used in order to explore the intercropping model of the region and the content of the Municipal Plans, in addition to the extensive direct observation technique, through a self-administered questionnaire. In addition, interviews were conducted on the spot for the categories of SMB that presented themselves, for each sector, in greater quantity in the seven cities of the region. The questionnaire was composed of three parts: (A) for multiple choice closed questions; (B) for Likert type scale; (C) for open questions. It was verified that more than 60% of SMB managers do not have basic knowledge about the laws and regulations governing solid waste management and other environmental commitments, for example, the need to have environmental licensing regarding the local impact or possible to carry out a Solid Waste Management Plan (Reverse Logistics). On the other hand, a significant number of respondents showed a willingness on sustainable practices, worrying about using less aggressive inputs to the environment in their productive processes and to separate their waste correctly. It concluded that, except for industrial and health waste, the interaction of MSE with the local Government did not register cohesion, highlighting the distance between the proposals presented by the municipal governments of ABC in the Municipal Plans and the practices reported by the administrators with that actor.