Gestão integrada de resíduos sólidos urbanos: uma análise por meio de políticas públicas ambientais em municípios de pequeno porte da Sub-bacia do Rio do Peixe – PB.

Abstract

Discussions involving Integrated Urban Solid Waste Management (ISWM) necessarily require links between the various public environmental policies that exist in Brazil. With this in mind, the aim was to analyze how environmental public policies, through their respective instruments, contribute to the IWRM in small municipalities in the Rio do Peixe sub-basin in the state of Paraíba. The methodological approach was based on the classification of the research: a) in terms of nature (applied research); b) in terms of approach (inductive method and qualitative analysis); c) in terms of objectives (exploratory research and descriptive research); d) in terms of procedures (bibliographic study, documentary study and field study). The results made it possible to understand the challenges and potential of the GIRSU, highlighting the political, economic, environmental, cultural and social aspects. The geo-environmental and demographic characterization revealed that the study area has challenging geo-environmental and demographic conditions, such as a semi-arid climate, low population density and limited water resources. The Systematic Literature Review made it possible to identify the main approaches, challenges and good practices related to IWRM in different contexts. The MSW landscape revealed significant disparities in IWRM between global, regional and local levels. The diagnosis highlighted significant gaps in the implementation of IWRM. The investigation into the work of public consortia in the municipalities surveyed revealed important advances, but also serious gaps and challenges. At the same time, waste pickers, who play a crucial role in the recycling cycle, continue to be vulnerable.The proposals and strategies pointed to the need for technical training for public managers, the implementation of environmental education programs and the creation of economic incentives to foster the circular economy. The conclusion is that, although there are environmental public policies relevant to IWRM in Brazil, its implementation in the small municipalities of the Rio do Peixe Sub-basin - PB still faces many challenges. The research contributes to theoretical advances by integrating debates on environmental public policies and IWRM in local contexts, as well as offering practical recommendations aimed at strengthening governance, environmental education and the adoption of circular economy strategies. There is a need for future studies that deepen the analysis of IWRM in small municipalities, proposing technological solutions and sustainable models adapted to their specific realities.