Educação ambiental, coleta seletiva e gestão de resíduos sólidos nas escolas: o que dizem os artigos publicados entre 2013 e 2023

Abstract

Environmental issues have gained prominence due to the significant and often irreversible impact of human actions on the environment. Proper solid waste management is essential to mitigate these impacts, ensuring that waste is correctly separated, reused, or recycled. The responsibility for this management is shared among manufacturers, consumers, and local waste collection and disposal management, and relies on a legal framework that regulates these processes. In the context of Environmental Education (EE), solid waste management should be addressed transversally and interdisciplinarily in schools, involving both students and the entire management team. This approach is necessary because waste management is an environmental issue influenced by local culture, economy, and values. Critical and transformative pedagogy is essential to promote changes in traditional conceptions and to seek sustainable solutions for the proper disposal of solid waste. This study analyzes articles published between 2013 and 2023 on solid waste management in schools, aiming to evaluate the effectiveness of EE practices in this context. The research adopts a qualitative approach, using theoretical frameworks from established authors in the field of EE and drawing on relevant Brazilian legislation. The analysis revealed a lack of adequate solid waste management, as well as the absence of pedagogical activities related to the topic. In light of this, an effort was made to understand how waste management in schools can be improved through a critical, transversal, and interdisciplinary Environmental Education (EE), combined with collaboration with an efficient local collection system.