RC presents new projects from the Fortaleza Solid Waste Action Plan.

Ceará 247 - The new projects that are part of the Fortaleza Solid Waste Action Plan were announced by Mayor Roberto Cláudio, during a press conference, this Wednesday (6), at Paço Municipal. Among the actions are the “E-Carroceiro” program, which marks the beginning of a pilot project, and the schedule for the implementation of Ecopoles in Fortaleza.

The Solid Waste Action Plan was presented two years ago by the Mayor, and the idea is to be accountable to the population, show the progress made, and highlight new initiatives that were not in the original program. Thirty-three new Eco-points and the first Eco-hub in Pirambu were implemented, along with the first model for monitoring large waste generators and a series of educational actions in the city. According to Roberto Cláudio, there are already some results to celebrate as a result. “We reduced the number of garbage collection points from 1800 to 1300; we increased the volume of waste going to recycling by 22% compared to last year; and, with the change in oversight, we saw a 90% increase in all waste collected by private initiatives going to the landfill. These are news items that demonstrate the success of our set of actions. We also made future commitments, such as reaching 50 Eco-points by the end of the year and 119 facilities in Fortaleza by the end of my term, as well as expanding the Eco-hub,” explained Roberto Cláudio.

Fortaleza has an Eco-center implemented on Avenida Leste-Oeste, which has 12 underground garbage containers, three Eco-points, 1,5 km of bike lanes, new pedestrian crossings, sidewalk requalification and restoration, new lighting, and landscaping in the central median. The idea is that the facilities will contribute to a change in the behavior and attitude of the population, putting into practice a set of multidisciplinary equipment and actions starting from that area of ​​the city.

E-Cart Driver

To further enhance the Solid Waste Action Plan, the E-Carroceiro program will be implemented, providing monetary incentives for cart drivers to earn income from the proper disposal of waste at Ecopoints. The program will be a partnership with Banco Palmas, which will pay for leftover furniture, rubble, or tree trimmings. The pilot program has already begun at the Leste-Oeste Ecopolo and will progressively be extended to other areas of the city. In addition, the Fortaleza City Hall will begin scheduled household selective collection next Monday (11), during the inauguration of the Monsenhor Tabosa Ecopolo. “It will be a mobile application where citizens can indicate the amount of waste they have at home and schedule a time for an identified waste picker to come to their house to collect the waste, which will be taken to the waste pickers' association or Ecopoint. This will have enormous potential to intensify the proper disposal of waste in our city,” stated Roberto Cláudio.

According to the Executive Secretary of Conservation and Public Services (SCSP), Luiz Alberto Saboia, Fortaleza collects 50 tons of household waste per month, making it one of the Brazilian capitals with the highest collection rates. "If we include urban waste collection, Fortaleza collects approximately 90 tons per month, generating a very high environmental and financial cost for the Municipality, because we collect the waste and the city remains dirty," Luiz Alberto emphasized.

Roberto Cláudio also presented an idea being studied for the city, involving the implementation of an incineration plant. “I returned from China this week and visited one of the world's largest waste treatment companies that incinerates solid waste, generating energy and construction materials. Our idea is to encourage a public-private partnership for a medium-sized plant to treat this waste that currently goes to the landfill,” he said.