1413 8123 Csc 19 10 4185

DOI: 10.1590/1413-812320141910.09072014

The sorting of recyclable waste and the variables inherent to the process: a case study in a cooperative

Renato Luvizoto Rodrigues de Souza 1
Andréa Regina Martins Fontes 1
Silvana Salomão 2

1
Programa de PósGraduação em Engenharia de Produção de Sorocaba,
Universidade Federal de
São Carlos. Rod. João Leme dos Santos Km 110, Itinga.
18.052-780 Sorocaba São
Paulo Brasil. [e-mail] 2
Engenharia de Produção,
Universidade de Franca.

Abstract Informal labor with recyclable materials is marked by social exclusion and discrimination, besides this activity being conducted in unsanitary conditions. The literature suggests that the problems associated with the sorting of recyclable waste are associated with lack of structure, contact with the “garbage”, lack of government support, lack of training, lack of safety equipment, among others. The scope of this paper is to describe the process of sorting recyclable waste in a cooperative in França in the state of
São Paulo. The specific objective was to identify the variables inherent to the process and investigate how workers adjust their work schedules to deal with these variables. The research method used is the case study with an operationalized ergonomic approach at some stages of the ergonomic analysis of work. Exploratory visits, indirect observations and semi-structured interviews were conducted. The results showed that the variables inherent to the process require that workers perform timely management sessions, which can be either collective or individual, though this invariably results in overload in the workplace, either by speeding up the work output or by demanding the increased concentration of those involved.
Key words Sorting, Variables, Cooperative,
Complexity, Recyclable waste

Resumo O trabalho informal com materiais recicláveis é marcado por desvalorização e exclusão social, além desta atividade ser realizada em condições insalubres. A literatura aponta que