An initiative by the Niterói Municipal Urban Cleaning Company (Clin) began in 2020 and started to collect 708 tons of recyclable materials in 2025. Currently, waste separated in communities represents around 11% of the entire volume of recyclables collected by the company in the city.
Separating garbage is part of the routine of Iranir Alexandrina, a resident of the Fátima neighborhood, in Niterói. At her house, food waste, cardboard, PET bottles and other materials are placed in different containers before being taken to collection points.
"The water bottle all goes in one bin. Then I separate cardboard in one bag, PET and plastic in another and organic waste in another too. Every day I go down with three bags of rubbish", he says.
The habit, which is now part of the daily lives of Iranir and other residents, began to be encouraged five years ago, with the arrival of the Sustainable Community project, by the Niterói Cleaning Company (Clin).
The initiative uses containers identified by colors to facilitate separation. Brown equipment receives organic waste, such as food scraps and food peels. The blue ones are intended for recyclable materials, such as paper, plastic and glass.
In total, there are 67 pieces of equipment installed in 24 communities in Niterói. Collection is carried out daily.
According to Clin, after being collected, the materials pass through an overflow area. Recyclables are sent to collector cooperatives, where they are separated and prepared for reuse.
In the first year of the project, in 2020, 24 tons of recyclable materials were collected in the communities served. In 2025, the volume reached 708 tons.
Currently, the recyclable materials collected in these locations represent around 11% of the entire volume collected by Clin in the city.
The plan is to install five more collection points by the end of this year.
For the president of the Fátima neighborhood Residents' Association, Carlos Fonseca, one of the main challenges at the beginning of the project was raising awareness among residents about the impacts of inadequate disposal.
“Residents had no idea of the harm that garbage brings. And raising awareness was really the most difficult thing,” he says.
The work also includes environmental awareness teams made up of street cleaners. Professionals guide residents on the separation and correct disposal of waste.
According to street sweeper Fábio Vigno Carvalho, there was resistance at first, but the guidance helped to change the residents' perception.
"At first, we encountered some resistance, but when they are guided by our team they come to understand that it really is a project that will work and is of good use. That's where the contamination of the place ends, the dirt ends and organization takes place. With that comes a better quality of life", he says.
In the Bonfim community, in Fonseca, the project arrived about a year ago. Before the equipment was installed, the area was already used by residents to dispose of waste, but in a disorganized manner.
According to residents, irregular disposal caused dirt and health risks for those who live in the region.
With the installation of containers, the area now has defined points for each type of waste. The proposal is for residents to know where and how to dispose of garbage, avoiding the accumulation of materials and facilitating the sending of recyclables to cooperatives.
