Coleta seletiva e reciclagem: uma análise do tema na mídia impressa do Rio e Janeiro e São Paulo

Abstract

The collection and recycling of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is essential for cities to move towards sustainable waste management, leading to better use of raw materials and to increase the useful life of landfills. The way in which this topic is addressed by the major print media vehicles of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, the two largest Brazilian cities, is fundamental in understanding how the large audience, considered opinion makers, is being informed. This article aims to analyze reporting that contains, within a given article, the words "recycling", "recycling collection" and "scavengers", published in the major newspapers of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo Paulo. It also explores whether or not they address the issues with the appropriate journalistic rigor, including avoiding generalizations and misconceptions that mislead readers. The period analyzed covers 11 years, from 2005 to 2015, before and after the main federal legislation on MSWs, the National Solid Waste Policy Law number 12.305/2010. The results show that in nearly half of the reports analyzed give the message that collection and recycling are always "beneficial", "good" or "cheap", while disregarding the extensive legal, regulatory and financial complexities of models already widely diffused in Europe with positive post-consumer waste recovery rates. The lack of coverage of technical concepts put forth basic engineering manuals for three decades indicates the need to improve the specialization of journalists, who need a broad base of interdisciplinary knowledge.