Sustainable Management of Organic Waste in the City of Vitória de Santo Antão, Pernambuco, Brazil

Brazil produces millions of tons of organic waste per year, of which only 1% is reused, the rest is sent to landfills, burned, or released in the open, causing enormous impacts on the environment. Reverse logistics emerged as a promising alternative for mitigating potential impacts from the reinsertion of waste and co-products into production cycles, providing environmental, social, and economic benefits. The final disposition must consider environmentally appropriate alternatives provided for in the National Solid Waste Policy (PNRS), provided that the specific operational norms are observed to avoid damage or risks to public health and safety. Organic waste can also be used to generate bioproducts and electricity, contributing to economic development and environmental preservation. On the other hand, sanitary landfills have limited capacity, high cost and are usually designed for 20-year cycles. Based on these observations, the present work aimed to present sustainable alternatives for the proper destination and treatment of organic waste generated in the city of Vitória de Santo Antão-PE, with the possibility of producing bioproducts for agriculture and biogas for electricity, with a reduction of environmental liabilities generated from organic waste. A study was presented on the sustainable management of waste, seeking its reintroduction in the production chain based on the concept of circular economy and enabling a reduction of pressure on the exploitation of natural resources. This work has waste management guidelines with the possibility of adding value from the transformation of organics into energy and bioproducts, generating work and income. The municipality can become a sustainable hub that will serve as an example.