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Assessing the Connections between COVID-19 and Waste Management in Brazil

Author

Listed:
  • Walter Leal Filho

    (Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M15 6BH, UK
    European School of Sustainability Science and Research, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, 21033 Hamburg, Germany)

  • Amanda Lange Salvia

    (Graduate Program in Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Passo Fundo, Campus I–BR 285, São José 99052-900, Brazil)

  • Arminda Paço

    (NECE-UBI (Research Centre for Business Sciences), Universidade da Beira Interior, 6201-001 Covilha, Portugal)

  • Celia Dias-Ferreira

    (DCeT—Department of Sciences and Technology, Universidade Aberta, 1269-001 Lisbon, Portugal
    CEG—Center of Global Studies, Universidade Aberta, 1269-001 Lisbon, Portugal
    CERNAS—Research Center for Natural Resources, Environment and Society, Institute Polytechnic of Coimbra, 3045-093 Coimbra, Portugal)

  • Samara Neiva

    (Graduate Program in University Management, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, Brazil)

  • Izabela Simon Rampasso

    (Departamento de Ingeniería Industrial, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta 1270709, Chile)

  • Rosley Anholon

    (School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Campinas, Campinas 13083-860, Brazil)

  • Claudio Ruy Portela de Vasconcelos

    (Laboratory of Sustainability Engineering and Consumption, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa 58051-900, Brazil
    Algoritmi Research Centre, School of Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal)

  • João Henrique Paulino Pires Eustachio

    (School of Economics, Business Administration and Accounting at Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo 05508-900, Brazil)

  • Charbel Jose Chiappetta Jabbour

    (Montpellier Research in Management, Montpellier Business School, 34000 Montpellier, France)

Abstract

In addition to the health crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, several countries—particularly in developing regions—faced serious additional challenges in the economic, social and environmental areas. In Brazil, one of these challenges refers to the changes in consumption caused by the lockdowns, and the environmental impacts caused by new patterns of waste generation. Against this background, this paper investigates the changes in consumption and waste generation in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides a technical contribution to the topic by comparing the perception of survey respondents on the amount of household waste produced before and during the pandemic, and cross-checking these with information on current aspects of policymaking, the findings suggest that the amount of some specific types of household waste has noticeably increased, challenging even more the local waste management systems. The data instrument was validated by a pre-test, prior to deployment. According to the respondents, packaging (both plastic and paper/cardboard) was the type of waste that reported the highest increase in generation during the lockdowns, which is in line with the results of increased consumption of food delivery within this period. The results also suggest that current waste management policies make Brazil ill-equipped to deal with one of the non-intended effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has severely impacted Latin America’s largest country.

Suggested Citation

  • Walter Leal Filho & Amanda Lange Salvia & Arminda Paço & Celia Dias-Ferreira & Samara Neiva & Izabela Simon Rampasso & Rosley Anholon & Claudio Ruy Portela de Vasconcelos & João Henrique Paulino Pires, 2022. "Assessing the Connections between COVID-19 and Waste Management in Brazil," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-19, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:13:p:8083-:d:854072
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    References listed on IDEAS

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