Tratamento do REEE em Uberlândia/MG: identificação de atores e oportunidades de conexão em rede por meio do design estratégico

Abstract

In recent years, the consumption of electronic products has grown globally and, consequently, post-consumer waste. Currently, Brazil is the second largest generator of electronic waste (WEEE) in the Americas, and the seventh in the world. Given this scenario, it is essential that there are initiatives (public and/or private) to manage WEEE, because when they are incorrectly disposed of, they generate various social, environmental and economic damages. As locally (Uberlândia-MG) there are still no programs or actions that bring together different stakeholders to act together and forward the correct treatment of this waste, it was defined as the objective of the research, to carry out the mapping of potential actors that may compose a future collaborative network for the treatment of WEEE. To guide this mapping, the following specific objectives were listed: identify the respective areas of action of potential actors, based on the technical cycle of the Circular Economy Diagram (EMF); survey legislation (federal, state and municipal) in force related to the treatment of recyclable waste; identify Circular Economy practices that can help in the treatment of WEEE; and analyze a collaborative conceptual network model that could serve as a future local network reference. The research methodology is characterized as qualitative and exploratory, carried out through document analysis (bibliographic reviews, and registration data) on the themes: circular economy; strategic design, and design for sustainability; collaborative networks and context of electronic waste: in the national, state (MG) and municipal (Uberlândia) scenarios. At the end of the research, information was obtained on the volume of actors that make up the current local WEEE treatment ecosystem, and how legislations are still incipient regarding clear, objective and specific regulations on how the public power should intervene. so that this sustainable environment for the treatment of recyclable waste is structured. It was also identified which circular practices are widely disseminated, and which are feasible to be implemented in the local scenario. As a result, it can be seen that the treatment of electronic waste is a field that presents management complexity and, at the same time, a series of opportunities, especially considering the local scenario. In this scenario, strategic design is configured as a tool capable of enabling the connection between the actors of a potential network, from the visualization of future scenarios, which also include the identification of barriers to be overcome, helping to identify actions that promote Gradually, local sustainable economic development.