Submitted by Ana Guimarães Pereira (agpereir@ucs.br) on 2016-05-24T15:06:29Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Bianca Santinon Scopel.pdf: 5338191 bytes, checksum: fc54d64efe03354f7cb2d0a7e89289b4 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-24T15:06:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Bianca Santinon Scopel.pdf: 5338191 bytes, checksum: fc54d64efe03354f7cb2d0a7e89289b4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-05-24

The growth of the construction industry in Brazil has resulted in increasing of construction and demolition wastes generation (CDW). Given this fact, various studies and researches have been conducted in order to mitigate or even extinguish the undesirable impacts caused by improper disposal of these wastes on the environment. On the other hand, the road infrastructure constructions, in general, consume large amounts of natural resources, that have become scarce in many regions of the country. But fortunately, it is worth noting that this construction area has a favorable history about incorporation of wastes in your construction process, and CDW is the most prominent. Against this background, with this research sought to evaluate the geotechnical properties of CDW recycled aggregates produced by a recycling plant in the Aracaju metropolitan region (AMR), preparing mixtures of these materials with two typically soils of Sergipe state. Therefore, tests were conducted to evaluate the composition and percentage of impurities, gradation, Atterberg limits, absorption, abrasion resistance, bulk density, grain form, compaction, degradation, califórnia bearing ratio and resiliente modulus. Based on results, obtained using the intermediate compaction energy, it was found that the CDW recycled aggregates provided significant improvements in the soils properties, expressed by satisfactory mechanical performance observed in the CBR and RM parameters of mixtures. The results presented in this research indicate and ratify the technical feasibility of using the CDW in base and sub-base pavements layers, which can contribute to sustainable development, increasing the materials supply and a application methodology in AMR and Sergipe urban roads constructions, in addition to resulting in decreased extraction of natural materials and areas of final disposal of such wastes. / O crescimento da indústria da construção civil no Brasil tem resultado no aumento crescente da geração de resíduos de construção e demolição (RCD). Diante desse fato, diversos estudos e pesquisas têm sido realizados com a finalidade de amenizar ou até mesmo extinguir os impactos indesejáveis causados pela deposição inadequada desses resíduos no meio ambiente. Por outro lado, as obras de infraestrutura rodoviária, em geral, consomem grandes quantidades de recursos naturais, que já se tornam escassos em diversas regiões do país. Mas, felizmente, cabe destacar que essa área da construção já possui um favorável histórico de incorporação de resíduos no seu processo construtivo, sendo o RCD o de maior destaque. Diante deste cenário, com esta pesquisa procurou-se avaliar as propriedades geotécnicas de agregados reciclados de RCD produzidos em uma usina recicladora da região metropolitana de Aracaju (RMA), preparando-se misturas desses materiais com dois solos tipicamente encontrados no Estado de Sergipe. Dessa forma, foram realizados ensaios para se avaliar a composição e porcentagem de materiais indesejáveis, granulometria, limites de Atterberg, absorção, desgaste por abrasão, massa específica, índice de forma, compactação, degradação, índice de suporte califórnia e módulo de resiliência. Com base nos resultados obtidos, utilizando-se a energia intermediária de compactação, verificou-se que os agregados reciclados de RCD proporcionaram significativas melhorias nas propriedades dos solos, expressa pelo desempenho mecânico satisfatório observado nos parâmetros ISC e MR das misturas. Os resultados apresentados nesta pesquisa indicam e ratificam a viabilidade técnica do uso do RCD em camadas de base e sub-base de pavimentos, o que pode contribuir para o desenvolvimento sustentável, o aumento da oferta de materiais e uma metodologia de aplicação na construção de vias urbanas da RMA e do Estado de Sergipe, além de resultar na diminuição da extração de materiais naturais de jazidas e das áreas de disposição final desses resíduos.

No description available.

The essentiality for waste reduction in society is prompted by the depletion of natural resources. Internationally, five waste management strategies have been identified, namely reduction of waste (waste prevention), re-use of waste, recycling of waste, recovery of energy and disposal to landfill. In Polokwane Declaration of September 2001, South Africa’s Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism committed itself to achieve a 50 percent reduction in the volume of waste generated by 2012 and to be landfilled and have a zero waste plan implemented by 2022. Through the National Waste Management Act, No. 59 of 2008, the South African government also committed itself to provide protection of health, well-being and the environment through measures to avoid and minimise the generation of waste. Even though several policies and legislative documents are available that address waste minimisation and recycling, individual community members are however still reluctant to participate in these activities. This study therefore investigated the current levels of understanding, education and commitment to recycling and waste minimisation in a selected South African community. The target respondents of the study were members of a local church who are representative of the various peoples that reside in the communities serviced by the selected municipality. A convenience sample of 70 participants from that church was selected to complete the questionnaires. Seventy (70) questionnaires were distributed, and all 70 questionnaires were returned. Interviews were also conducted with two managers from the Waste Management Department of the selected municipality. The data analyses conducted, included descriptive statistics and content analysis of the interview transcripts. The empirical results revealed among others that: (1) recycling removal service is limited to pre-selected recyclables; (2) the municipality contributes to local entrepreneurial opportunities; (3) public participation is a pre-requisite in the success of the programmes; (4) participation is determined by convenience; (5) enforcement of legislation assists with compliance; (6) environmental sustainability is supported by environmental concerned consumers; (7) mismatch of opinions around separation at source of generation and (8) continuous education is instrumental in waste management. The main recommendations of the study include: (1) municipalities need to provide exciting and innovative recycling and waste minimisation programmes, continuously; (2) positive attitude and behaviour of all the stakeholders determines the success of waste minimisation and recycling; and (3) society, industry and government need to join forces in ensuring success in waste management. By implementing these recommendations, stakeholders in this field of interest will go a long way in improving waste management in South Africa communities.

There has been considerable interest in finding and explaining the basic elements that can drive product quality up. In the literature this is largely done by modelling the effects of investing in learning and process improvement, and of cost reduction. In the first essay, demand is modelled as a function of price and quality. With this demand function, the firm should produce output of higher quality, the increase in quality being dependent on consumers’ sensitivity to quality and to price, and the effect of technological improvement on product price and quality are very different from those when the demand is a function of price alone. Some twenty states in the U.S. have passed recycling laws which mandate consumption of old newspaper by the newsprint industry. To study the effect of regulation, a model is used in which two firms compete under the regulatory constraint—one firm producing the recycled product, the other the virgin product. Assuming the regulatory constraint is binding, and the demand for the recycled product is derived solely from the legislation, interesting results such as the two firms share equal profits, and consumers pay higher average price in competitive equilibrium than the cartel price, are obtained in the second essay. The two firm model is generalized to include n firms which compete under the same kind of regulatory constraint in the third essay. Results similar to the two firm case are obtained. When the recycled product and the virgin product are partially substitutable, regulation that mandates consumption of the recycled product results in infinitely many equilibria. A dominating equilibrium exists if the demand parameters satisfy a certain condition, otherwise it is not clear how to select an equilibrium. On the other hand, a suitable tax on the virgin product, or its producer, serves to induce compliance with the recycling policy and equilibrium selection. The equilibrium prices and profits of the two firms under the schemes of production tax, excessive consumption tax and progressive profit tax are examined and compared in the fourth essay. It is interesting to find that the tax rate for excessive consumption is comparatively low and, in equilibrium, this tax scheme collects no tax payment. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Health Sciences: Environmental Health, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016. / The Durban University of Technology (DUT) signed the Taillores Declaration (TD) in an attempt to deal with environmental issues and subsequently waste management challenges. A few projects have been initiated within the institution to realise the TD ten point action plans. Currently there is limited data regarding the status quo at DUT. A quantitative descriptive study was conducted to analyse the situation with regards to waste management and recycling practices and to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of students towards waste management and recycling at DUT. An audit of the refuse receptacles was conducted and information obtained was plotted out on a map of two selected campuses. A questionnaire was used to collect data on the practices of waste management and recycling from nine departments. A total of 403 students from the Indumiso and Riverside campuses of DUT were recruited for the KAP study. The findings revealed that refuse receptacles are provided inconsistently and that there is a lack of planning around the provision of these receptacles. Departmental practices regarding waste management and recycling were found to vary from one department to the next. The KAP study results indicated that the students’ knowledge regarding waste management and recycling is poor and their attitudes and practices towards waste management and recycling may be improved by education and enforcement of policy. It is essential to develop a policy regarding waste management and recycling for DUT. In addition, a learning programme should be implemented for all new students entering DUT and during orientation. / M

The problem with which this investigation is concerned is that of planning and carrying out an art program in which a particular group of students in a low income group, by utilizing discarded and inexpensive materials, can create useful and satisfying objects for the improvement of their home interiors.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Mounting pressure on waste management has forced the City of Cape Town (CCT) to progressively move towards achieving an integrated waste management system (IWMS). This system presents a holistic approach of dealing with waste issues. The waste management hierarchy indicates that the ‘cradle-to-cradle’ approach of waste management is more ideal as compared to the traditional ‘cradle-to-grave’ approaches of waste management, example landfilling. However the challenges that have transpired in the rollout of waste minimisation initiatives highlight the need to continuously improve the system. This thesis investigates the municipal solid waste (MSW) minimisation programmes initiated by the CCT Solid Waste Management Department. A systems approach that combined both quantitative and qualitative methodologies was employed in the analysis. A material flow analysis (MFA) model was used to trace the flow of waste through the waste management system. The benefit of applying the MFA approach for waste management problems has been highlighted in literature in terms of identifying potential recycling, and other, waste-treatment technologies, and predicting the outcomes of waste treatment and disposal initiatives. The main objective of this study was to apply an adapted MFA method in order to determine the progress of the existing waste minimisation programmes and to also determine the opportunities to utilise biodegradable and other recyclable components of the waste streams; thereby improving the IWMS of the CCT. The MFA provided a conceptual understanding of the flow of waste materials in the CCT. The mass assessment of waste minimisation facilities, such as the Bellville compost plant and Athlone material recovery facility and refuse transfer station, unveiled that there is still a large amount of biodegradable and recyclable municipal solid waste that ends up in landfills regardless of the waste minimisation facilities available. However, it is still immature at this stage to conclude the success of the Think Twice campaign, since this is a fairly new initiative that relies on the response rate of the public. There are challenges associated with the recyclable waste recovery rates such as public awareness, proper advertising, operational problems that still need to be addressed. The MFA results also showed the final sinks of the different waste types that are sent through the different waste minimisation facilities run by the CCT. The current institutional arrangements and legislative environment have been greatly improved but there are still a number of challenges that need to be addressed. The largest, overall challenge is devising a practical plan of ‘closing the loop’ in order to develop a circular economy. The concept of ‘cradle-to-cradle’ seems to be premised on extended producer responsibility and other stringent control mechanisms, which are currently believed, will yield negative consequences in the South African context. A lot more work needs to be done to achieve a genuinely integrated and sustainable solid waste management system. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Stad Kaapstad streef na ‘n geïntegreerde afval beheer sisteem (GABS) as gevolg van toenemende druk op die bestuur van afval. Hierdie stelsel bied 'n holistiese benadering tot die hantering van afval-probleme. Die afvalbestuur-klassifikasie wys dat die “wieg-tot-wieg” benadering meer ideaal is as die tradisionele “wieg-tot-graf” benaderings van afvalbestuur, byvoorbeeld die bestaande sorteringsterreine. Die uitdagings wat voor-gekom het in die bekendstelling van afvalbeperkingsinisiatiewe het getoon dat daar ‘n voortdurende behoefte is om die stelsel te verbeter. Hierdie tesis ondersoek die munisipale vaste-afvalbeperkingsprogamme wat deur die Stad Kaapstad se Departement Vaste-Afvalbestuur geïnisieer is. Beide kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe metodes is gebruik om die analises uit te voer. ‘n Materiaal vloei-analise model (MVM) is gebruik om die vloei van afval deur die afvalbestuur-sisteem te volg. Die voordeel van die toepassing van die MVM-model word uitgelig in die literatuur in terme van identifisering van potensiële herwinning en ander afvalbehandelings-metodes en die voorspelling van die uitkomste van afval-behandeling en wegdoen-inisiatiewe. Die hoofdoel van die studie was om ‘n aangepaste MVM-metode toe te pas om die vordering van die bestaande afvalbeperkings programme vas te stel asook om die gebruik van bioafbreekbare en ander herwinbare komponente van die afvalstrome beter te kan benut en daardeur ‘n verbetering van die GABS van die Stad Kaapstad teweeg te bring. Die MVM het goeie insig gebied in die vloei van afvalmateriaal in die Stad Kaapstad. Die massa-waardebepaling van afvalverminderings-fasiliteite, soos die Belville kompos-aanleg en die Athlone materiaalherwinningsfasiliteit asook die afval-oordragstasie, het onthul dat daar nog groot hoeveelhede biodegradeerbare munisipale vaste-afval in die stortingsterreine beland ten spyte van die afvalbeperkings-fasiliteite wat beskikbaar is. Dit is egter nog te vroeg om ‘n gevolgtrekking oor die sukses van die “Think Twice” veldtog te maak aangesien dit 'n redelike nuwe inisiatief is wat op die terugvoer van die publiek staatmaak. Daar is uitdagings wat verband hou met die herwinbare afvalhersteltempo’s soos byvoorbeeld: openbare bewustheid, goeie advertering asook operasionele probleme wat nog aangespreek moet word. Die MVM resultate het ook ‘n daling in die verskillende afval-tipes wat deur die verskillende afvalbeperkingsfasiliteite van die Stad Kaapstad gestuur word, getoon. Die huidige institusionele reëlings en wetgewende omgewing het baie verbeter, maar daar is nog 'n aantal skuiwergate wat aangespreek moet word. Die grootste algehele uitdaging tans is die ontwerp van ‘n praktiese plan om die skuiwergate te oorkom en om ‘n kringloop in die ekonomie te ontwikkel. Die "wieg-totwieg" benadering berus op uitgebreide produsente verantwoordelikheid en ander streng beheermaatreëls wat waarskynlik negatiewe gevolge in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks gaan oplewer. Daar is egter nog baie werk wat gedoen moet word om ‘n geïntegreerde en volhoubare stelsel vir die bestuur van vaste-afval daar te stel.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2014 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In situ Informal Settlement Upgrading (ISU) was explored in this thesis, focussing on its relevance to waste service upgrading options immediately available and practically implementable for residents of Enkanini, a poorly serviced township (slum) in Stellenbosch, South Africa. Household food waste (kitchen scraps) was chosen as a key point of entry for exploring the context and viability of in situ improvement of solid waste management services in the area. This was done by investigating ways biological and social aspects of soil quality and food waste management can be incrementally improved in the settlement. Transdisciplinary methodology, Participatory Action Learning and Social Learning perspectives, combined with ecological thinking were used to explore different methods of managing food waste in Enkanini. A food waste collection pilot project was initiated in Enkanini by the Stellenbosch Municipality in 2012. The project was modified and continued in 2013, which served as the case study for this thesis. In 2013, food waste was collected by 56 households over five months. It was treated with Bokashi Effective Micro-organisms (Bokashi EM) containing yeasts, lactic acid bacteria, actinomycetes and photosynthetic bacteria. The Bokashi EM partially fermented the waste before it was used for composting or feeding to Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae. Laboratory testing of food waste, compost, soils and larvae waste residue determined the safety, potential and sustainability of food waste for recycling and contribution to local urban agriculture by closing the organic waste loop, and for generating an income stream. A total of 5851kg food waste was collected, saving 6m3 landfill space. Households generated 5,2kg - 9,6kg food waste per week. Extrapolating this lower figure for all of Enkanini (about 2400 households), about 50,2 tonnes of food waste could be generated per month. If this were collected and recycled or composted, this would save 51,2m3 landfill space per month. The most commonly cited benefit of food waste collections by participants was reduction of vermin in or around their homes. Laboratory testing indicated that some samples had high levels of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria. No traces of Salmonella were found in food waste, compost and soil samples, and most were within acceptable limits for heavy metals. It was cautioned that vegetables grown on soils or compost with high E. coli be washed or cooked before consumption. Following socially and ecologically sustainable management of Enkanini’s food waste requires a combination of waste management methods. Options include localised composting - burying EM treated food waste in soil; in situ container composting of waste and adding this to soil; processing of EM treated food waste by Black Soldier Fly larvae (and their subsequent use as feed for chickens or fish); and finally by anaerobic digestion for generation of biogas and effluent fertiliser in local biodigestors. The thesis showed that biological elements (such as bacteria and soil nutrients) have impacts on residents in communities and these need to be considered significant. The thesis suggests ecological elements be considered as indicators or building blocks for ISU locally, nationally and internationally. Keywords: in situ incremental upgrading, food waste management, Effective Micro-organisms, social learning, urban agriculture, closed-loop systems, organic waste management, informal settlements. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In situ Opgraderingsprojek vir Informele Nedersetting (OIN) is in hierdie tesis ondersoek, met die fokus om die relevansie van afval diens opgradering opsies prakties te implementeer vir die inwoners van Enkanini, Stellenbosch, Suid Afrika, 'n gemeenskap met swak dienslewering. Huishoudelike kombuis voedselafval is gekies om die konteks en lewensvatbaarheid van in situ verbetering van vaste afval bestuur dienste te ondersoek. Dit is bereik deur maniere te ondersoek om die biologiese en sosiale aspekte van die kwaliteit van grond en voedselafval bestuur in die nedersetting te verbeter. Transdissiplinêre metode, Deelnemende Aksie Leer en Sosiale Leerprosesse, gekombineer met ekologiese denke, is gebruik is om verskillende metodes van die bestuur van voedselafval in Enkanini te verken. 'N Enkanini voedselafval versamelingsprojek is in 2012 deur die Stellenbosch Munisipaliteit begin. Dit is in 2013 aangepas en vir hierdie studie gebruik. Gedurende vyf maande in 2013 is voedselafval deur 56 huishoudings ingesamel. Dit is behandel met Bokashi effektiewe mikro-organismes (EM Bokashi) met gis, melksuur bakterieë, aktinomisete en fotosintetiese bakterieë. Die Bokashi EM het die afval gedeeltelik gegis voordat die afval gebruik was vir kompos of voeding aan Swart Soldaat Vlieg (Hermetia illucens) larwes. Voedselafval, kompos, grond en larwe oorskot laboratourim toetse het die veiligheid bepaal, asook die potensiaal en volhoubaarheid van die afval vir herwinning en die bydrae tot die plaaslike stedelike landbou deur middel van die organiese afval siklus, en vir inkomste generering. 5851kg voedselafval is ingesamel en 6m³ se opvullingsruimte bespaar. Die huishoudings het 5,2kg – 9,6kg voedselafval per week gegenereer. Die laer syfer in aggeneem, kan sowat 50,2 ton voedsalafval per maand in Enkanini (ongeveer 2400 huishoudings) gegenereer word. As dit ingesamel, herwin of gekomposteer was, sou 51,2 m³ opvullingsruimte per maand bespaar word. Die belangrikste voordeel van die voedselafval versamelings was die vermindering van knaag en aasdiere rondom wonings. Laboratoriumtoetse het hoë vlakke van Escherichia coli (E. coli) bakterieë in sommige monsters gevind. Geen spore van Salmonella is in die voedselafval, kompos en grondmonsters gevind nie en meeste was binne die aanvaarbare perke vir swaar metale. Die gemeenskap is gewaarsku om groente wat in die grond of kompos gekweek is voor verbruik in chloorwater te was of kook. Die sosiale en ekologies volhoubare bestuur van Enkanini se voedselafval vereis 'n kombinasie van afval bestuursmetodes. Opsies sluit gelokaliseerde kompos - begrawe EM behandelde voedsel afval in die grond; in situ houer kompos afval en die toevoeging van hierdie tot die grond; verwerking van EM behandelde voedselafval deur Swart Soldaat Vlieg larwes (en hul daaropvolgende gebruik as voer vir hoenders of vis); en uiteindelik deur mestvergisting vir die generasie van biogas en kunsmis in biovergisters. Die tesis toon dat biologiese elemente (soos bakterieë en voedingstowwe in grond)'n impak het op die gemeenskap se inwoners en as n belangrik faktor beskou moet word. Die tesis dui ekologiese elemente as n toekomstige aanwysers aan indien OIN plaaslik, nasionaal of internasionaal oorweeg word. Sleutelwoorde: in situ toenemende opgradering, kos afval bestuur, effektiewe mikro-organismes, sosiale leerproses, stedelike landbou, geslotestelsel-sisteme, organiese afval, informele nedersettings.

Submitted by Milena Rubi (milenarubi@ufscar.br) on 2017-06-01T18:28:12Z No. of bitstreams: 1 SANTOS_Fabio_2017.pdf: 67920851 bytes, checksum: 05c272202a619adfb95c8590ddcb3c04 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Milena Rubi (milenarubi@ufscar.br) on 2017-06-01T18:29:40Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 SANTOS_Fabio_2017.pdf: 67920851 bytes, checksum: 05c272202a619adfb95c8590ddcb3c04 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Milena Rubi (milenarubi@ufscar.br) on 2017-06-01T18:29:49Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 SANTOS_Fabio_2017.pdf: 67920851 bytes, checksum: 05c272202a619adfb95c8590ddcb3c04 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-01T18:29:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 SANTOS_Fabio_2017.pdf: 67920851 bytes, checksum: 05c272202a619adfb95c8590ddcb3c04 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-03-21 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Waste generation is a global challenge to be faced, especially in industrializing countries such as Brazil, where high waste generation in line with structural problems and inadequate waste management can result in environmental, economic and social problems. Thus, recycling can be considered as an important strategy to face this challenge in order to develop practices focused on the triple bottom line (sustainability). The recycling chain in Brazil is considered complex involving multiple actors, among them we can highlight the activities of scavengers as fundamental agents on viability of recycling. However, the scavengers are not always recognized, they are the ones that benefit least in the chain and they face several difficulties. In seeking to overcome the difficulties and achieve better positioning in the chain, scavengers have organized into cooperatives, networks and materials processing centers. From the environmental point of view, recycling processes, especially of post-consumer plastics, can also have an impact on the environment, if management is not established from the collection until the final disposal of the same. It is therefore important to adopt environmental management tools such as Cleaner Production (CP), for example, that result in benefits to the environment, society and organizations. This research aimed to identify opportunities for improvement in plastics recycling process in a cooperative of Sorocaba-SP, through the use of the CP tool. The research consisted of a case study in a cooperative that performs the recycling process of Polyethylene (PE) and Polypropylene (PP), transforming them into flakes and / or pellets. The steps of the CP adopted in this research were based on the Centro Nacional de Tecnologias Limpas (CNTL, 2003) and complemented by SEBRAE guidelines (2005) and by the study of Silva et al. (2013). The following steps were carried out: awareness and general characterization of the cooperative, mapping of the recycling process, quantification of input and output streams, definition of indicators, selection of the evaluation focus, identification of causes of waste generation, effluents and emissions, and identification of CP opportunities. The study revealed that the recycling process of the cooperative is passive to generate environmental impacts, mainly due to the lack of standardization of the raw material and the high consumption of water in the washing stage and consequent generation of effluents. 25 improvement opportunities were identified, focusing mainly on level 1 of housekeeping. In addition, barriers to CP in the cooperative were identified, especially those related to financial issues and lack of government support. Thus, it is necessary to overcome these barriers to an effective implementation of the CP and obtain the consequent economic, environmental and social benefits. / A geração de resíduos é um desafio mundial a ser enfrentado, principalmente nos países em processo de industrialização como o Brasil, no qual a alta geração de resíduos alinhada aos problemas estruturais de gestão e descartes inadequados podem ocasionar problemas ambientais, econômicos e sociais. Assim, a reciclagem pode ser considerada como uma importante estratégia para se enfrentar este desafio com o objetivo de desenvolver práticas voltadas para o tripé da sustentabilidade. A cadeia de reciclagem no Brasil é considerada complexa por envolver múltiplos atores, dentre eles, podem-se destacar a atuação dos catadores como agentes fundamentais na viabilização da reciclagem. No entanto, os catadores nem sempre são reconhecidos, são os que menos se beneficiam na cadeia e enfrentam várias dificuldades. Na busca por superar as dificuldades e obter um melhor posicionamento na cadeia, os catadores têm-se organizado em cooperativas, redes e centros de processamento de materiais. Sob o ponto de vista ambiental, os processos de reciclagem, principalmente dos plásticos oriundos do pós-consumo, também podem ocasionar impactos ao meio ambiente, caso não se estabeleça uma gestão desde a coleta até a destinação final dos mesmos. Assim, é importante a adoção de ferramentas de gestão ambiental como a Produção Mais Limpa (P+L), por exemplo, que resulte em benefícios ao meio ambiente, a sociedade e as organizações. Esta pesquisa objetivou identificar oportunidades de melhorias no processo de reciclagem dos plásticos em uma cooperativa de Sorocaba – SP, por meio da utilização da ferramenta P+L. A pesquisa consistiu em um estudo de caso em uma cooperativa que realiza o processo de reciclagem do Polietileno (PE) e Polipropileno (PP), transformando-os em flakes (fragmentos) e/ou pellets (grânulos). As etapas da P+L adotadas nesta pesquisa foram baseadas no Centro Nacional de Tecnologias Limpas (CNTL, 2003) e complementada pelas orientações do SEBRAE (2005) e pelo estudo de Silva et al. (2013). Assim realizaram-se as seguintes etapas: sensibilização e caracterização geral da cooperativa, mapeamento do processo de reciclagem, quantificação das correntes de entradas e saídas, definição de indicadores, seleção do foco de avaliação, identificação das causas de geração de resíduos, efluentes e emissões, e identificação de oportunidades de P+L. O estudo revelou que o processo de reciclagem da cooperativa é passivo de gerar impactos ambientais, devido principalmente a ausência de padronização da matéria-prima e o alto consumo de água na etapa de lavagem e consequente geração de efluentes. Foram identificadas 26 oportunidades de melhorias, em sua maioria classificadas no nível 1 da P+L (housekeeping). Além disso, foram identificadas barreiras de P+L na cooperativa, principalmente as relacionadas às questões financeiras e ausência de apoio governamental. Assim, foi constatado a necessidade de superar essas barreiras para uma efetiva implementação da P+L e obter os consequentes benefícios econômicos, ambientais e sociais.