Recycling in Action - Supporting communities in the coronavirus crisis
The coronavirus pandemic has turned the world upside down. In the unprecedented crisis, governments around the globe have taken radical steps to encourage people to stay home and stay safe.
With a third of the global population in lockdown, people are worried first and foremost about their health and financial wellbeing. Understandably, recycling is probably the last thing on their minds. And the collection and processing of recyclable waste has been put on hold by many municipalities to protect workers and communities to avoid social interactions that could spread the virus.
In this blog, we take a look at how coronavirus is affecting our recycling programmes in Brazil, what we’re doing to help the communities they support and how we’re encouraging people to make recycling part of the new normal.
Preserving environmental and social benefits
The primary purpose of recycling is environmental: to enable packaging and other materials to be recycled into new products, and avoid emissions associated to other types of waste treatment.
As we’ve seen in our previous blogs on Recycling in Action, innovative programmes like SIG’s Cidade+ Recicleiros and so+ma Vantagens in Brazil are designed to bring added social value too.
Through a cooperative model, Cidade+ Recicleiros provides security and reliable income for waste pickers, many of whom are among the most vulnerable people in society. And so+ma Vantagens enables people in low-income communities to earn rewards for recycling.
We’re working with our partners to continue supporting these communities through the crisis.
Protecting people
Collection of recyclables can contribute to public health in the long term by helping municipalities keep streets clear of litter, avoiding diseases associated with waste and reducing the burden on general waste collection and landfills. But it’s clear that measures to stem the imminent health threat from coronavirus must take precedence.
“Everything we do is for people,” says Erich Burger, Corporate Director at Recicleiros, the NGO partner behind Cidade+ Recicleiros. “These difficult times demand difficult choices and previous social priorities have become secondary to saving lives.”
Safety comes first and Recicleiros has temporarily suspended operations to protect workers who sort recyclable materials by hand and communities where the sorting centres are located. Collection services have also been suspended due to concerns about maintaining social distancing in densely populated areas.
Supporting communities
Recicleiros is closely monitoring the situation and the latest health guidance as it evolves to understand when operations can recommence, as well as setting up a working group to develop procedures for safe operation when that time comes.
In the meantime, the waste pickers are unable to work and need financial support. Companies like SIG, that are already investing in the Cidade+ Recicleiros, have stepped in to help.
“In times like these, everyone is happy to help their neighbours and it’s great to see companies willing to donate,” says Erich. “It also makes business sense for them to help preserve the investments they have already made in Cidade+ Recicleiros programmes so selective waste collection can continue running in the cities once the crisis has lifted.”
In the city of Curitiba, the so+ma Vantagens collection point has also closed its doors to avoid the potential spread of the virus from people coming in to deposit their recyclable materials in return for reward points. These points can normally be exchanged for food and other essentials, and we don’t want people to miss out on these at this critical time.
That’s why SIG and so+ma have teamed up with a local supermarket to donate food and hygiene products to the families of waste pickers who normally process the recyclable materials. As the city of Curitiba is preparing to gradually reopen essential services, so+ma and SIG have developed guidance on safe operation once the programme can restart.
so+ma is also doubling reward points for the materials that are most in demand and helping waste pickers’ cooperatives to find buyers for the material. The aim is to help the waste pickers recover some of the income they have lost and giving participating consumers more reward points to use on food and other essentials.
Making recycling the new normal
The outlook for recycling in the time of coronavirus is not entirely bleak. In fact, Claudia Pires, Founder of the so+ma Vantagens recycling programme, sees an opportunity to boost recycling in the longer term.
As people adjust to the new reality created by coronavirus, they will need to adopt new habits and she hopes that recycling will be one of them.
“We know that acquiring a habit is challenging,” says Claudia. “How many times have we tried to start exercising or eating better?”
She believes one of the reasons people find it so hard to adopt good habits is that they are usually trying to do this in the context of their normal daily environment and routine. But, for most people, life in the time of coronavirus is anything but normal. And that provides an opportunity to start fresh.
“We are living in a new reality,” says Claudia. “This makes it an incredible moment to acquire a new habit. And if you make your new habit recycling, this can have a really positive impact for you and the environment.”
Planning ahead
To keep up the momentum on recycling, Claudia and her team at so+ma are running social media campaigns, such as #atitudeNuncaValeuTanto (attitudeNeverWorthSoMuch) to encourage more consumers to get into the habit of separating their recyclable materials for recycling.
so+ma also partnered with TikTok Brazil to launch an online recycling game on Earth Day, inviting people to learn what is and isn’t recyclable while they play. The #vamosreciclar (#letsrecycle) game had 9.4 million visits during a one week challenge.
And, of course, with the so+ma Vantagens, any recyclable materials that people are able to hold on to during lockdown can be exchanged for reward points once the programme restarts, with the points doubled for some materials.
Recicleiros is also urging people not to get out of the habit of recycling. While municipal collection systems are suspended, consumers are encouraged to continue separating their recyclable waste. If they are able to, they should clean and compact it to keep at home until collection restarts.
As the latest government health guidance allows, both programmes will restart along with the environmental and social benefits they bring.
- May 19, 2020