Estudo sobre os aspectos sócio-econômicos dos catadores de resíduos recicláveis organizados em cooperativas na cidade de Natal - RN

Abstract

The objective of the present study was establishing the socio-economic profile of the active garbage pickers, organized in two cooperatives in the city of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte state, Northeast of Brazil. A questionnaire compounded of objective questions, was applied to 70 active garbage pickers Results have shown that 58,6% of the garbage pickers are women and 41,4% are men; 37,1% are between 18 and 29 years old, 50% are between 30 and 45 years old and 14,3% are older than 46 years old. Concerning the educational level, 10% are completely illiterate, 72,9% have not completed the elementary school degree. Related to the number of workers per family, in 37,1% of the cases, only the garbage picker works in the family and in 58,6% of the families two people work, one of them the garbage picker himself. With regard to family income,, 47,1% earn less than a national minimum salary and the same percentage earns between one and two national minimum salaries; 50% receive the “Bolsa Família” as a social benefit and 17,1% has another activity to complement their income. The predominant kind of housing is the brick laid houses corresponding to 92,9% and 62,9% live in their own housing. The knowledge about the socio-economic data of the garbage pickers can be used as a basis for actions which may result in strengthening the productive chain of the solid residues