VONPAR Projects Report by beto fagundes

Social Partnership Network Vonpar Projects Report

2009 | RS

Vonpar Foundation President: Rodrigo Vontobel Executive Director: Léo Voigt Accountant: Cristiane Souza

Social Partnership Network Vonpar Projects Report

CAMP – Centro de Educação Popular (Community Education Center) Executive Secretary: Mauri José Vieira Cruz Technical Staff: Alessandro Soares Beatriz Hellwig Daniela Zilio Raquel Chites Robinson Henrique Scholz Roque Spies SJDS - Secretaria da Justiça e do Desenvolvimento Social (Secretary of Justice and Social Development) Secretary: Fernando Luis Schüler Executive Director: Denise Ries Russo Social Partnership Network Coordinator: Daltro Jardim Garcia Solidarity Act Coordinator: Roberto Silva Pesce Layout Beto Fagundes | Agência de Arte 4

2009 | RS

T a b l e

o f

C o n t e n t s

7 Presentation - Rodrigo Vontobel 9 Presentation - Secretary Fernando Luis Schüler 11 Introduction - Léo Voigt 17 Integrated Recycling Project 23 Projects 24

Recycling Cooperation and Citizenship

Tuca Recycles

Recyclers Networking

Recycle, Learn and Undertake

Recyclers Project – Networking and Management Training

Lixo é Luxo (Garbage is Glamorous)

Recycling Production Chain: Sustainable Caxias

2009/2010 ACATA Socio-environmental

Improving Ecos do Verde Working Conditions

Reciclando Vidas (Recycling Lives)

Garbage Handler Self Management to Create Jobs and Income

City of Passo Fundo Associativism Development in the Field of Recycling

The Art of Recycling Sorting Center

Recycling - A Dream - A Reality

Women Garbage Handlers: Building Citizenship and Environmental Awareness

41 Administrative-Financial Management of the Projects 45 Overall Results 47

Indicators

Lessons Learned and Challenges Faced

CONTINUITY AND COMMITMENT TO THE CAUSE

Vonpar’s social investments have maintained the recommended continuity, keeping a consistent line of work and methodology. The projects and facilities benefited in 2009 increased both in number and in their expectations to create opportunities for great results. The peculiarity of the accounting period was due to our greater experience in supporting projects with recycling associations, increased objectivity in the use of the lessons learned, in addition to the new partners that joined the project for production insertion and popular entrepreneurship for garbage handlers and recycling associations in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina. All of these projects will be presented on the pages to follow. The purpose of this report is to consolidate the data regarding projects in RS, supported in collaboration with the State Secretary of Justice and Social Development. We will present detailed information about the year’s operations and the results obtained first-hand. That is, at least those results that are quantifiable and that were able to be consolidated during the final submission of accounts to the Social Partnership Network. For the year, the recycling warehouses, just like we and our operating partners did, all experienced very distinct moments during the same accounting period. We initiated the portfolio in the midst of the macro-economic crisis, in which the national indicators of the recession also reduced the intensity of sales of all types of material that are sorted in recycling facilities on the outskirts of the large urban centers, leading to purchasing prices so low

that they became impracticable for the system’s workers. The second half of the year saw a slow recovery, which was enough to speed up the materials market again. This was the situation at the end of the year, when we proceeded to close out our data: a recovery of lost jobs and the prices shared by the garbage handlers. A careful reading of the numbers will clearly demonstrate the difficulties experienced during the period. Nevertheless, these difficulties did not prevent us from achieving significant growth in average monthly income, an element considered of prime importance towards obtaining qualitative improvements in these workers’ lives. Finally, in 2009 the company took innovative steps forward, having created Vonpar Alimentos (Vonpar Foods) to complement Vonpar Refrescos (Vonpar Beverages), known by everyone for 60 years now. The growth of our business activity is taking place in harmony with our community work ambitions, both culturally and socially. We are dedicated to putting together an operation that seeks to build up to victories that are shared in all fields of our activity and responsibility. We aim to pursue growing business success, share our victories with the most excluded segments of the region we operate in, establishing a long term cycle of sustainability for companies, people and the environment. Let’s all move along with Brazil as we turn things around! Rodrigo Vontobel Vonpar Foundation President 7

PUBLIC POLICY IN NETWORK

Vonpar has been on the forefront of social project management through its management of projects in networks, working with a segment of the population that oftentimes lives in a situation of extreme social vulnerability. The choice to work in the recycling segment is certainly a reflection of our choice to confront the subject of exclusion where it is most sharply felt; where income deprivation, prejudice, educational and cultural deficits and cohabitation with a wide variety of social diseases, violence and drug addiction are all combined.

The work with Vonpar calls special attention in so far as it presents an explicitly non-assistential character. That is, the objective is to turn the organizations and communities involved in recycling gradually more independent and capable of working on their own with the market, having mastered solid management techniques and acquired the ability to provide dignified wages to support their families. This expresses the best of social project policies. Social policies should be focused on the emancipation of individuals, which is an essential condition for the full practice of citizenship.

It has been satisfying to work with Vonpar and the Social Partnership Network these past few years because of the direct involvement of the company, its managers and executives. Not to mention the leadership and technical skill achieved by the Vonpar Foundation. It is truly a great challenge to efficiently manage recycling warehouses, improve working conditions, add value to materials through the use of new technology, greater market access and improved synergy between the different actors that are part of the recycling chain.

Let us hope that Vonpar continues to move in the same direction, acknowledging that social work in networks results from a slow and at times difficult process. The Social Partnership Network is a way to increase the scale of this networking and make intelligent use of the benefits of the Solidarity Act. May Vonparâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work serve as an example for many other businesses in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Fernando Luis SchĂźler State Secretary of Justice and Social Development

2009 VONPAR INVESTMENT EXPERIENCES Methodology and Development

fter publishing the proposal for the 2009 Call for Tender, the Vonpar Foundation received 34 applications containing a total of 38 projects. Out of these, 15 projects were considered to be completely in agreement with the Grant Program’s rules. These included 38 associative recycling facilities from 22 cities across the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The technical monitoring of the candidate organizations began even before their final approval by the Project Evaluation Commission (PEC), which was made up of representatives from different areas of social assistance public policy. During the reading and analysis stage, the process of learning about the projects and relationship building began. This is one of the characteristics of monitoring methodology, as well as effective technical cooperation. During this stage, called pre-qualification, the staff from the Vonpar Foundation and the Community Education Center (CAMP) visited the organizations that were not members of the Social Partnership Network (SPN) to learn about their conditions, engage in a dialogue about the evaluation process and improve the demand they presented to the SPN, in addition to providing assistance in drawing up the project’s final version. Based on this relationship building process and with the structure of the projects improved, the time came for the PEC evaluation for final approval. The work had managed to achieve financing for the 38 facilities that had been considered ready to apply since the very beginning. In this way, 15 contracts were signed, including 37 Urban Solid Waste (USW) recycling warehouses and one professional education center for young people, which recycles computers.

From the very beginning, the projects were all visited by the technical staff to monitor their execution of the plan. Work was done to improve garbage handler working conditions and income, as well as improving the sustainability of the associative undertakings, analyzing each facility’s social, economic and environmental aspects. During the on-site work, special attention was paid to sharing the work and objectives planned by the project with the association members, stressing the responsibility involved in receiving financial resources, the results that were to be sought, connecting their goals with the improvements made possible by the financing. The methodology to increase everybody’s commitment to the project aims to contribute to the recyclers and leaders’ critical analysis of their facility’s conditions, envisioning the improvements to be sought and strengthening participatory dynamics, transparency and commitment, reducing alienation regarding the results as well as excessive manipulation and centralization. During the project monitoring and evaluation, the staff listens and engages in dialogue, collects data, supply of instruments and feedstock, problematizing the situation and looking for solutions, information to add to their technical reports and indicators on the socio-economic impact, such as: 1.Number of workers benefited and new jobs created; 2.Increases in tons of materials processed (data collected for each type of material); 3.Prices leveraged by means of new partnerships created at the beginning of the project; 4.Number of dependents directly benefited; 5.Number of organizations involved and cities benefited; 6.Financial resources generated and amounts shared by the members. 11

the community and city hall towards management of the city’s solid waste. Although less frequently than is desirable, the fact is that the arrival of new players on the scene, like large companies and the state government, leads to mobilization that might rarely happen otherwise. Frequently, the Vonpar portfolio was the spark that instigated a city’s first recyclable waste policy. In other places it at least allowed for productive dialogues among local players who previously could not come to agreement.

Visit to the Bom Princípio Recyclers Association

In addition to evaluating, the objective is to instrumentalize with information those members who end up not accessing or becoming involved within the unit, and who delegate these tasks to the leaders out of disinterest. The objectives of the monitoring are to increase overall recognition of the importance of the work they do and facilitate the implantation of management tools that can assist in controlling production and results. Another central focus is the dialogue with the local government about waste sorting. Community-based sorting centers are not viable unless the materials are delivered directly and on a large scale, obtained by means of a public recyclable material separation program. Thus, during the technical cooperation, it would be necessary to stimulate the articulation of local private companies, 12

The training made available to the garbage handlers, made possible with support from the Bank of Brazil Foundation and carried out by CAMP, was built upon the knowledge accumulated by the Integrated Project’s organizations. Based on the evaluation of the trainings foreseen for the projects, the development was concentrated on points of difficulty. Highlights include sales bottlenecks and difficulties in correctly classifying urban solid waste (USW). Since the groups all have different levels of experience, the training workshops offered were formatted in accordance with each facility’s characteristics and demands. • Sales Training: in-depth study on the subject of sales and the articulation of common strategies between neighboring facilities to solve the greatest challenges, as well as market studies, classification techniques and logistics. • Technical Visits: visits to other best practice experiments to learn about exemplary production processes, successful management models, partnerships with government authorities, destination of the materials and visits to factories that make use of USW. • Economic Viability Studies and Participatory

Management: conducting economic and financial viability studies and greater involvement of members with management of their associations. Rolling out monitoring and data investigation systems for the recycling and establishing comparable indicators has become a long and not entirely overcome challenge. A simple spreadsheet for the entry of data on material receiving and production in itself represents management progress and is a factor that increases transparency among the members. With the objective to train and mobilize, two state meetings were held to encourage integration between the support associations and organizations, sharing experiences and providing feedback on the process. The final meeting, the Simpósio Recicla Brasil Sul (Southern Brazil Recycling Symposium), brought together recyclers, representatives from city halls and the state government, supporting organizations and members of the academic community involved with the subject of recycling. Data regarding the materials sold and the prices obtained, which are routinely tabulated by the Vonpar monitoring team, served as the database for a study realized in 2009 that is described in the next chapter. In order to strengthen the warehouses’ commitment to record the data, special visits were made to facilities in the Porto Alegre Metropolitan Area to achieve alignment about responsibility with the data collected every month, elements shared during the Symposium. In the end, a monitoring spreadsheet was supplied, containing the different types of materials, quantities sold, sales type and price. Preliminary Impacts The 38 financed projects complied with the timeline and met deadlines for expenditures without losing funding or having the investment cancelled. Nor was any type of embezzlement of the funds identified or denounced.

Frequently, the funds were so efficiently applied that the projects came in under budget. This made complementary redirection to other budgetary headings and approval of new expenses in line with the project possible. One the other hand, the desired leveraging of funds – an extra R$ 2.00 for every R$ 1.00 invested by Vonpar – was not achieved. We like to believe that this is due to two factors: 1. Recycling warehouses do not perform the same as traditional assistential organizations, which are more successful in mobilizing funds to complement an approved base budget. Though recycling associations are recognized as being groupings of socially vulnerable people, they are also seen as having pecuniary aims, since they derive economic results from their work. This reduces the availability of community donations. 2. The most frequent partnerships made by the warehouses are with the local government or public sanitation companies. These begin to consider the associations as part of their urban waste collection and destination policy. This is not accounted for as leveraging of funds, since it is so difficult to quantify these amounts and because this measure of impact is evaluated in terms of income variations for the associations’ members (increased average income). On the other hand, the leveraging of funds was more significant in terms of bringing in direct partnerships from the Vonpar Portfolio itself, having brought together financing organizations for the same purposes and strategy, giving rise to the Integrated Project: Braskem, Bank of Brazil Foundation, CAMP, IFSUL (Rio Grande do Sul Federal Institute). Soon the original funds of R$ 752,000 brought in another R$ 700,000 for recycling projects in Rio Grande do Sul, representing a 1/1 leveraging rate for the 2009 accounting period. Similarly, in 2009 the goal to create new jobs within the associations performed as atypically as the economy 13

Southern Brazil Recycling Symposium

itself. During the first five months, there was a drastic reduction in work at the warehouses, with some of the facilities suspending operations between February and March. Soon, the indicators for the first six months of that year were pointing towards job post reductions and ended up in the red. Nevertheless, the economic recovery worldwide and in Brazil during the second half of the year made it possible to recover 100% of the lost jobs. Even though we have yet to obtain the data regarding December as this report is going to print, the variation in jobs between the first month of the financing and the last was nearly zero.

The good news is that monthly income rose over the course of the year. On average, income increased 26% at the 37 recycling facilitates during the period. We finished the second round of Vonpar financing through the Social Partnership Network having achieved solid results, in spite of a relative year of crisis for the sector. Important steps were taken in the creation of a network committed to recycling and to the garbage handlers of Rio Grande do Sul. We all came out of the year more experienced and mature and 2009 brought us even closer together for the next rounds.

Lessons Learned and Challenges for 2010 Bringing together all of the rich lessons learned during the course of the Vonpar portfolio would require us to publish an immense tome. This would take away from the present document’s main objective, which is to make for easy reading and submission of accounts. Before moving on, we first need to remember that the path taken by Vonpar’s private social investment and described herein is limited to describing the 2009 accounting period. However, it contains processes and discoveries carried over from the other editions. In order to truly comprehend the progress that has been made, one must carefully read each annual report, their expert opinions and consolidated information, comparatively. We have been building this social undertaking in a cumulative manner and this requires visualization of the entire history. The impacts will be more meaningful viewed in complete cycles, without annual interruptions, which is how programs and plans function. Among the convictions we have come to during these years, shared with those involved during the 2007/2009 period, is the comprehension of community recycling as a non-official event, marginalized by society and peripheral to the system. It has extremely low operating costs and is socially painful, existing everywhere people have settled. The participants of recycling can be classified on the following levels of the “system”: Garbage Handlers – the “cart pullers” • Unorganized and fragmented • They have a marginal character within the system • They do not access public or private support • They are not integrated into the public collection system

Sorting – USW separation warehouses • Organized into associations, these have ties and a certain permanence • They are a priority for Vonpar support • They seek to group, organize the garbage handlers • They depend directly on public recycling separation programs Sales – known as the “middlemen” • Greater profit margin • There are all kinds of agents: some act as partners, while others are exploiters • The goal is to find a way around using this group whenever possible Processing – when facilities add value to the sorted material • This is the system’s current challenge, to change the paradigm • This happens when workers receive training: productivity • Investment costs are higher: technology • Demands materials on a large scale: on the way to association consortiums • Focus of the new Braskem investment: 2010 • Only viable when they have already become part of the public collection system Based on this understanding, a support strategy was defined and new partners were sought to participate in the work we could not achieve on our own. The Vonpar Portfolio strives to be an experiment in public policy that removes the garbage handlers from the margins of the system and inscribes them as providers of a service that is important to the public and the environment and achieves long term financial and economic viability so as to ensure sustainability for everybody involved. Léo Voigt Vonpar Foundation Executive Director

1st State Meeting

I n t e g r a t e d

P r o j e c t

INTEGRATED RECYCLING PROJECT Partnership Building

he Vonpar portfolio to encourage entrepreneurship at community recycling facilities has completed its second straight year of investments, learning experiences and results evaluation. As a member of the Rio Grande do Sul State Government’s Social Partnership Network, it is financed by Vonpar Refrescos and its anchoring organization is the Vonpar Foundation. In 2009 it managed to bring together other financing and technical partners to expand the scope of its work. The integration of new organizations increased the potential of changes in the environment of the waste sorting warehouses, made it easier to carry out projects in the sorting facilities and made it possible to develop models for managing Urban Solid Waste (USW), creating opportunities to increase the sustainability of the chain that recovers and sells discarded materials. In addition to the Vonpar Foundation’s continued investments, in executive association with the Community Education Center (CAMP – responsible for on-site monitoring), the Bank of Brazil Foundation and Braskem also joined the ranks. While each of the organizations followed their own private social investment program they ended up working together, integrating and strengthening a single public action strategy. This led to unforeseen results and products beyond those which had originally been contracted.

During joint planning the initiative was called the Integrated Project. It involved 38 sorting units in 22 cities across the state of Rio Grande do Sul, with the following operating areas: • Financing and technology for USW sorting and sales systems • Monitoring of the associations by socio-economic management and social protection indicators • Technical assistance and training for garbage handlers and leaders • Field research at the warehouses and in the market of post consumer waste Leading the Integrated Project, the Vonpar Foundation took part with a portfolio of R$ 752,000 destined to the 38 associative facilities approved by the Project Evaluation Commission of the Secretary of Justice and Social Development, by way of the Solidarity Act. This year, the contract with CAMP was extended, which for its part has invested R$ 79,800.00 of its own funds in compensation. Meanwhile, the Bank of Brazil Foundation approved a R$ 148,000 project for technical training of the associations and to conduct research, R$ 96,000 of which was invested in 2009: “Recycling of Post Consumer Waste in Rio Grande do Sul - Focus on the Raw Material Supply Chain.” The study was conducted by the CAMP in collaboration with consulting from Maxiquim, a consulting firm specialized in the plastics market. A detailed report was drawn up about the situation of the community recycling facilities, collecting information about sales and the waste market in the Porto Alegre Metropolitan Area (PAMA). 17

During the execution of these components, the Braskem portfolio of investments in recycling, entitled Production Inclusion: Recycling Consortiums and Entrepreneurship – was approved by the Secretary of Justice and Social Development (SJDS) and launched. Among the 38 associations selected by the CAP, three of them proved themselves ready to receive technology and training to process materials – sorting, washing, shredding and direct sale to the plastics industry. The conditions to justify the investment in adding value to the sorted materials were: a) Unity of the association and trained internal management; b) Production organized into processes, capable of operating on a large scale; c) Staff trained to operate the processing system; d) Large scale material volume, be it from the facility itself or operating in consortium with other warehouses. The careful preparation of the funding ended up leading the Braskem portfolio to begin spending at R$ 378,000

for the first year. It should complete its investments and impact evaluation during the first half of 2010. Finally, the organizations that formed the Integrated Project invited an educational entity specialized in professional training and plastics research, the Rio Grande do Sul Federal Institute (IFSUL), located in the city of Sapucaia do Sul, to become a member of the management group. Congregating complementary objectives, these organizations came together for a planning workshop in May, where they used the Goal Oriented Project Planning (ZOPP, in the German abbreviation) methodology as a tool. Each organization presented their assets in the field of recycling and the objectives that had inspired them to participate in the partnership. In a participatory manner they managed to build a joint strategy, the Planning Structure, which became the Integrated Project’s plan of action: production insertion of the garbage handlers and strengthening of RS recycling facilities. As a result, in mid-2009 different assets and competencies

Integrated Project - 2009 Investments - in R$ Vonpar Portfolio - level 2 on the recycling chain Braskem Portfolio - level 4 on the recycling chain Bank of Brazil Foundation Project - research and training CAMP Compensation - executive coordination

Financing to improve working conditions and production at 38 associations chosen by the public Grant program (22 cities) creating jobs and increasing income

752,000.00

Financing for material processing at 7 recycling warehouses (3 cities in the PAMA), chosen by the public Grant program, to add value and increase income

378,000.00

Finance training and research at 20 warehouses in the PAMA, 400 recyclers, members of the SPN and a survey on the USW market at 83 purchasing companies

96,410.00

Operational coordination of the Integrated Project: planning, contracts, monitoring, training, technical assistance and evaluation

79,800.00

Total Financing

1,306,210.00

I n t e g r a t e d

P r o j e c t

Planning for the 2009 Integrated Project

were brought together and aligned in RS towards the execution of public recycling policy. The operational focus of all the actions is to articulate the garbage handlers into associative or cooperative groups for sorting and sales of USW, located on the outskirts of large urban centers and public waste sorting of materials to be delivered to the warehouses of the benefited cities. This unique experience in partnerships brought together private companies, teaching and research organizations, social protection NGOs and the state government. During the joint planning meeting the Mission was defined as follows: Integrate distinct actors, competencies and learning in a single strategy towards sustainable development, bringing

together entities involved with recycling and social protection systems, aiming towards the maximization of efforts and funds, potentializing the economic and social impacts for Rio Grande do Sul society. There was also a sharing of institutional motivations, which were summarized as follows: • Discarded post-consumer materials (USW) cannot be thrown into the street or deposited in the environment. This is tantamount to wasting economic wealth; • There is no longer any reason – human, economic or ethical-moral – for significant contingents of Brazilians to continue living below the poverty line without dignified wages, stability and full citizenship. 19

During the same accounting period, during the Planning Workshop, a Shared Vision was created: The production chain of durable and consumer goods does not follow through into the post-consumer stage. Recycling’s role is to fill in this gap in the production cycle. For this reason, it does not form its own chain, nor is it an isolated phenomenon. Private formal undertakings will be able to absorb the discarded material and the entire recycling chain, privatizing USW and its economic potential. We would like to strengthen the groups and associations of garbage handlers – the system’s most marginalized and alternative players – as effective entrepreneurs and service providers in order for the production chain to be completed with inclusion, scale and sustainability. The highest cost of reusing materials lies in their collection. It is first necessary to bring together a wide variety of materials dispersed by consumption, selectively; Visit to the recycling of São Miguel das Missões

it is necessary to separate the materials by technical specifications and bring them together if recycling is to be economically viable and useful to industry. The associative community warehouse system is economically more advantageous in comparison with any other alternative in terms of recycling. It costs less and facilitates social inclusion. In the end, the partnership’s “Products” were chosen: Empowerment – strengthening dimension. 38 recycling warehouses strengthened through financing, training and technical cooperation. Protection Methodology – social assistance dimension. Methodology to support community recycling systems developed and documented. Technological Development – technical dimension. Three pilot programs in the PAMA to add value to recycled materials were implanted, monitored and technically and methodologically evaluated. Knowledge – reality dimension. Quantitative and qualitative research on USW collection, sorting and sales – 20 associations in the PAMA, market reality for the purchase of USW – 83 companies. Documentation of the Process – repeatability dimension. Publication containing the results and learning obtained in each line of investment. Sharing – democratic transparency dimension;

participation

and

SOUTHERN BRAZIL RECYCLING SYMPOSIUM – PROPOSING NEW SOCIAL TECHNOLOGIES, 20

I n t e g r a t e d

P r o j e c t

Articulation of the Passo Fundo Groups in September of 2009

with partners, satellite organizations to the system, entities, city halls and leaders from the associations. Several of the products above are still in the execution stage, notably the investment in technology and knowledge made feasible by the Braskem portfolio launched in November during the Southern Brazil Recycling Symposium. The elements produced over the course of

2009 are summarized in this publication. However, they required a journey that actually began during the 2008 SPN Call for Tender, consolidated in the report for that period. The performance reported here is sure to continue in 2010, be it in the investments by the Braskem portfolio beginning in January, be it in the unfolding of the third round of the Vonpar portfolio currently being prepared, with expenditures foreseen to begin in April of this year. 21

Porto Alegre Garbage Handlers Association Warehouse â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ilha Grande dos Marinheiros

Location of the Projects by City/Town

PROJECTS

RECYCLING COOPERATION AND CITIZENSHIP São Leopoldo | Porto Alegre Santa Maria | Bento Gonçalves

Proposing organization Avesol Sorting facilities Urban Organic and Inorganic Recyclable Materials Workers Association – Aturói Vitória New Victory Recycling Association Jardim Glória Recycling Association Sunset Recycling Association (ARPS) Recyclable Material Sorters Association (ASMAR) Porto Alegre Garbage Handlers Association – Ilha Grande dos Marinheiros Profetas da Ecologia I (Ecology Prophets I) No. of people involved 34 men and 97 women Work carried out Educational meetings Carrying out improvements at the facilities Equipment acquisition Shared project management Results Educational processes matured the collective work Improvements to the warehouse infrastructure Increased average monthly income

TUCA RECYCLES Porto Alegre

Proposing organization Campo da Tuca Community Association Sorting facility Campo da Tuca Community Association No. of people involved 7 men and 13 women Relationship with government authorities Agreement with City Hall to receive publicly collected materials They also receive monthly funds to cover the costs of sorting activities Work organization Sorting at tables and bundling for sales Work carried out Remodeling at the warehouse Installation of tables for sorting Results Improved working conditions and group productivity

Sorting facilities AUrban Organic and Inorganic Recyclable Materials Workers Association - Aturói Vitória Nova Conquista Recycling Association Dois Irmãos Recyclers Association Production, Labor and Habitation Cooperative (COOPERNOVA) Nascente do Vale Recyclers Association Construction Work and Urban Cleaning Cooperative (COOLABORE) Bom Princípio Recyclers Association São Leopoldo Garbage Handlers and Recyclers Cooperative (UNICICLAR) Socially Aware Women Recyclers Association (ARLAS) Canoas Material Recyclers Association (ARMC) Mato Grande Sorting and Recycling Association (ATREMAG) Associação Renascer (Rebirth Association) Recyclers and Garbage Handlers Association (ARCA)

No. of people involved 153 men and 157 women

Work carried out Training about materials Articulation to negotiate prices and joint sales Education about associativism and cooperativism Expansion of the relationship with the community Debate on public waste treatment policy Acquisition of equipment and improvements to infrastructure

Results Increased knowledge about materials Knowledge and sharing of information about sales Thinking about legal aspects of the sorting facilities Organization of environmental education activities in the communities Organization and participation in events and debates with public managers 26

RECYCLE, LEARN AND UNDERTAKE Porto Alegre

Proposing organization Porto Alegre Marist Social Center (CESMAR) Sorting facilities Computer Reconditioning Center (CRC) No. of people involved 57 men and 17 women Work carried out Enlargement of Computer Recycling Center Building Results Technical training for young people on hardware, peripheral devices, servers, networks, robotics, human development and graffiti. The recuperated computers are delivered to community telecenters all across Brazil.

Recyclers Project – Networking and Management Training Canoas | Esteio Proposing organization La Salle University Center (Unilasalle)

Sorting facilities Socially Aware Women Recyclers Association (ARLAS) Canoas Material Recyclers Association (ARMC) Mato Grande Sorting and Recycling Association (ATREMAG) Associação Renascer (Rebirth Association) Recyclers and Garbage Handlers Association (ARCA)

No. of people involved 26 men and 81 women

Work carried out Infrastructure improvements and equipment acquisition Training on production, materials, sorting, collective management, finances and computers Educating knowledge multiplying agents to reach all of a warehouse’s members Development productivity controls, establishing goals Organization of exchanges between members of groups Stimulation of the members’ continued schooling Planning and development of sales in networks through research Study of material processing Legal regularization for joint material sales and processing Bring the government and community closer to spread the word about the associations’ work Results Improvements in the associations’ installations Training for leaders and multiplication for members Progress in sales through networking Progress in knowledge about plastics processing Associations are legally regularized and environmentally licensed Progress in negotiation between groups in the city of Canoas and City Hall to take responsibility for the city’s recyclable materials collection program 28

Lixo é Luxo (Garbage is Glamorous) Alvorada Proposing organization Se Ame - Movimento pela Livre Orientação Sexual (Self Love – Movement for Sexual Orientation Freedom) Sorting facilities Alvorada Garbage Handlers Association (ACATA) No. of people involved 2 men and 9 women Relationship with government authorities Alvorada City Hall carries out recyclable material collection with ACATA’s participation. It has contributed with improvements to the warehouse. Work organization Sorting at tables, individually, with the use of barrels and bundling of the materials for sale Work carried out Acquisition of an elevator, cart, computer and IPE Legal advising: legal assistance and institutional regularization Educational meetings Production and distribution of materials on recycling Results

Improvement of the relationship with City Hall Improvements in warehouse infrastructure and working conditions Increased productivity 29

Recycling Production Chain: Sustainable Caxias Caxias do Sul Proposing organization Caxias do Sul Foundation Sorting facilities Fátima Neighborhood New Life Recyclers Association New Tomorrow Recyclers Association Consolação Recyclers Association Airport Cart Puller Recyclers Association (ARCA) Interneighborhood Recyclers Association Serrano Recyclers Association No. of people involved 33 men and 69 women Work carried out Equipment acquisition Renovations and improvements to warehouses Results Improved working conditions at the sorting centers

ACATA SOCIO-ENVIRONMENTAL 2009/2010 Ijuí

Proposing organization Northwestern Rio Grande do Sul Integration, Development and Education Foundation (FIDENE) Sorting facilities Discarded Material Handlers Association Ijuí Recyclables – ACATA No. of people involved 4 men and 8 women Relationship with government authorities City Hall exempts Association from paying environmental license, provides three-phase electric power to use the press and supplies the publically collected recyclable material. They are increasing the number of sorting centers in the city, with a focus on articulating sales strategies. Work organization Sorting at tables and bundling of the materials for sales Work carried out Construction of a multipurpose space Acquisition of barrels, tables, gloves and aprons Workshops about on-the-job safety Management advising Results Increasing communication with City Hall Improved working conditions ACATA has carried out workshops with the city’s recyclers and is a point of reference on this subject 31

Improving Ecos do Verde Working Conditions Santo Ă&#x201A;ngelo

Proposing organization Ecos do Verde Recycling Association and Environmental Education Sorting facility Ecos do Verde Recycling Association and Environmental Education No. of people involved 20 men and 13 women Relationship with government authorities Project built with the City Hall that will give, complementarily, the construction of a space for storing materials, which has yet to be built. City Hall has contributed with funding during the material price crisis. Work organization Ecos do Verde is divided into two spaces: the plant â&#x20AC;&#x201C; where sorting is done on two conveyors, pressing and sales of the material from recycling separation programs; the warehouse - where materials preselected by individual garbage handlers and members are purchased, in addition to storage and pressing. Work carried out Purchase of IPEs, a computer and a printer Renovations at the plant Renovations of the press and collection carts Results Improvements in the partner relationship with government authorities Product improvement through the construction of a space to store paper bundles The group is slowly getting back on its feet after a fire that damaged the plant, which set their work back and led to a significant turnover in personnel 32

Reciclando Vidas (Recycling Lives) barra do Ribeiro

Proposing organization Cleaner Barra Recyclers Association

Sorting facility Cleaner Barra Recyclers Association

No. of people involved 3 men and 5 women

Relationship with government authorities The collection of recyclable materials is done in the streets by the Association using wagons and a tractor lent once a week by City Hall. This relationship is under development.

Work organization The Association performs material collection with wagons. Sorting at tables was introduced during the project and is still in the adaptation stage.

Work carried out Acquisition of an electric hoist and IPE Acquisition of sorting tables and barrels Construction of the mezzanine Placement of glass in the windows and wind-powered exhausts Renovation of the carts

Results Increased production, warehouse organization and improved group management. The recyclers are participating in the courses and seeking to change the labor situation.

Garbage Handler Self Management to Create Jobs and Income Cruz Alta

Proposing organization University of Cruz Alta Foundation Sorting facilities Cruz Alta Garbage Handlers Association (ACCA) No. of people involved 15 men and 5 women Relationship with government authorities The group receives recyclable materials from the university and makes collections in the streets with carts and wagons. The city’s separation of recyclable materials has begun to be discussed by City Hall, which helped the group obtain working capital to start work and pay for electricity. Work organization Some garbage handlers work individually with carts and others work in the warehouse operating the equipment. Maintaining a good relationship between these two is a challenge, in terms of comprehension of collaboration and remuneration for the pressing work and sale of the materials. Work carried out Educational meetings and monitoring of the educators Acquisition of paper shredder, IPE and a computer Articulation and sharing between the city’s recycling groups Dialogue with City Hall for implementation of a recyclable material collection program Results Reactivation of the association’s activities Improved relations with government authorities

Associativism Development in the Field of Recycling in Passo Fundo Passo Fundo Proposing organization Caritas Diocese of Passo Fundo Sorting facilities Hope for Victory Recyclers Association (AREVI) Friends of the Environment Association (AAMA) Santa Maria Mixed Production and Labor Cooperative for Community Undertakings Ltd. (COOTRAEMPO) No. of people involved 7 men and 23 women Work carried out Education and articulation meetings for the groups and monitoring of educators Acquisition of paper shredder, IPE, oil collection barrels, container for storing rejects, projection screen, projector and working materials Results Articulation and sharing between the recycling groups Progress in education towards working cooperatively and in networks Improved dialogue with City Hall in order to increase the scope of recyclable waste separation

The Art of Recycling Waste Sorting Center S찾o Miguel das Miss천es

Proposing organization The Art of Recycling Recyclers Association Sorting facilities The Art of Recycling Recyclers Association No. of people involved 5 men Relationship with government authorities No programs for separating recyclable waste are in place and garbage handlers use carts to collect these materials. The warehouse received its environmental license from FEPAM. The association is waiting for contributions to its electrical installations to operate the press acquired by the Vonpar Project. Work organization The recyclers collect and take the material to a warehouse where a tractor owned by city hall transfers the material to the warehouse for sorting, storage and sale. Its administrative headquarters are located at the Community Entrepreneurial Center. Work carried out Acquisition of a Press, scale, camera, office materials and IPE Hiring of an intern to provide administrative support Results Improved working conditions and production with machinery for recycling

RECYCLING - A DREAM - A REALITY carazinho

Proposing organization Carazinho Paper Collectors Association Sorting facilities Carazinho Paper Collectors Association No. of people involved 1 man and 5 women Relationship with government authorities The cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recyclable materials are sent to the Landfill Association. For the Paper Collectors Association several steps forward were taken in terms of partnerships with City Hall, such as approval to loan a city truck to collect donations whenever necessary. However, this relationshipis still in need of development. Work organization The Association purchases material from other garbage handlers, presses it and stores the material for monthly sale They also collect materials in the street to increase the volume of materials, since they do not receive materials from the recyclable material separation program. Work carried out Remodeling at the warehouse Purchase of IPE, sorting tables and barrels Hiring of a manager to assist the group Hiring of an accountant Results Reactivation of the associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities

Garbage Handlers Building Citizenship & Environmental Awareness Rio Grande

Proposing organization Friends of the Seed For Hope Association Sorting facilities Recyclable Garbage Association Vitória da Vila da Quinta No. of people involved 1 man and 4 women Relationship with government authorities They only receive materials from the city’s recyclable material separation program once a week. In addition, they receive materials from the Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG) and another school. Work organization Since the volume of materials is not enough, the group regulates its activities in accordance with the volume of material they receive, normally working the afternoon shift in alternating groups. In addition, the group purchases materials from individual garbage handlers. Sorting is done on tables and the materials are sold in bags. Petrobrás has approved their project to acquire a press. Work carried out Acquisition of an electric elevator, IPE, and cleaning and office supplies Educational activities Payment of accounting services Construction of a box for storage of the materials Results Improved working conditions Training of the recyclers for collaboration and organization for the dialogue with government authorities

Integration meeting between factories and sorting centers

Project Administrative Financial Management

he second stage for the Vonpar Portfolio of the Social Partnership Network included the period from April to December of 2009. During this phase the Vonpar Foundation invested R$ 731,504.50, technically and financially training fifteen projects chosen through a public call for tender

launched in November of 2008. The organizations presented a spreadsheet for financial spending and calculation memory divided into expense categories containing the amounts necessary for the projectsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; physical-financial execution, according to the chart below:

The financial transfers occurred every month, in accordance with the requested category. Projects

Lixo ĂŠ Luxo (Garbage is Glamorous) The Art of Recycling Waste Sorting Center

11,966.12

1,360.00

1,748.89

Total

1,860.00

2,266.66

3,531.66

2,266.67

25,000.00

3,678.00

2,100.40

860.90

794.90

886,20

1,719.60

13,860.00

23,900.00

12,307.50

3,396.00

1,081.00

1,361.50

927,00

927.00

0.00

20,000.00

7,947.50

33,395.00

5,360.00

3,525.00

12.330,00

6,827.50

25,712.88

95,097.88

433.25

3,688.25

10,120.75

9,508.25

433,25

823.25

1,763.00

26,770.00

16,580.00

18,000.00

8,420.00

2,000.00

0.00

45,000.00

345.00

8,735.00

1,576.00

3,135.00

696.00

2,733.00

0.00

17,220.00

1,318.40

29,039.30

4,506.00

4,553.50

2,496.00

3,576.00

12,914.43

58,403.63

Recycle, Learn and Undertake

40,000.00

20,000.00

0.00

60,000.00

Recycling Production Chain: Sustainable Caxias

58,121.52

8,100.00

500.00

1,250.00

1,000.00

1,250.00

0.00

70,221.52

Development in Passo Fundo Field of Recycling Assoc.

1,846.71

7,096.32

17,846.71

1,846.71

3,976.71

3,693.42

40,000.00

Recycling - A Dream - A Reality

7,605.00

865.00

5,135.00

530.00

0.00

15,000.00

Tuca Recycles

8,835.55

7,275.55

555.55

1,111.10

1,111.15

20,000.00

Recycling Lives

8,880.00

5,600.00

9,700.00

1,320.00

0.00

25,500.00

Garb. Handlers Build. Citizenship & Envir. Awareness Recyclers. Networking and Management Training ACATA Socio-environmental 2009/2010 Ecos do Verde Structure Garb. Handler Self-Management for + Jobs and Income

Recyclers Networking

Recycling Cooperation and Citizenship Total

3,350.00

23,347.50

20,572.50

6,250.00

9,635.00

6,735.00

0.00

69,890.00

183,214.55

171,998.32

83,713.30

43,095.41

35,732.37

32,927.53

61,321.55

612,003.03

The requests for investments were requested in the following manner by initials: Expense items Personnel Spending (w/o Social Legisl.) Food

% Invest. per expense

Total

2,648.89

3,048.89

3,463.89

4,828.89

6,097.78

2,836.68

25,973.91

4.24

898.40

190.00

350.00

1,530.90

614.40

1,375.00

2,161.15

7,119.85

1.16

Other items necessary to maintenance

4,031.30

3,958.65

3,941.40

3,524.50

3,846.80

2,912.00

1,250.55

23,465.20

3.83

Transportation

2,495.90

1,807.20

5,201.00

4,993.50

3,646.00

3,513.50

3,133.83

24,790.93

4.05

Working, teaching, sports and leisure materials

6,020.47

5,386.67

783.67

1,021.17

883.67

1,018.20

2,461.34

17,575.19

2.87

439.74

Phone, electric, water, Internet and gas

265.00

287.85

506.00

486.50

586.05

Construction materials

81,911.50

20,672.35

17.207.50

5,450.00

158.95

Third party services

33,346.06

59,872.60

29,474.84

17,344.95

16,097.61

Permanent material

51,597.03

76,774.11

23,200.00

5,280.00

5,070.00

183,214.55 171,998.32

83,713.30

43,095.41

35,732.37

32,927.53

Total

269.45

2,840.59

0.46

1,374.85

126,775.15

20.71

17,301.31

10,430.07

183,867.44

30.04

270.00

37,403.63

199,594.77

32.61

61,321.55 612,003.03

100.00%

Out of the requested funds, the greatest investments were foreseen for: construction material (20.71%), third party services (30.04%) and permanent material (32.61%).

42 42

S u b m i s s i o n Funds Invested During the execution of the projects, the funds invested were applied as follows:

28,800.00

% Invest. p/ expense 4.72%

4,220.94

0.69%

Other items necessary to maintenance

23,735.52

3.89%

Transportation

17,817.33

2.92%

Working, teaching, sports and leisure materials

16,784.85

2.75%

Expense items

Total

Personnel Spending (w/o Social Legisl.) Food

Phone, electric, water, Internet and gas

4,817.96

0.79%

Construction materials

124,025.90

20.34%

Third party services

184,482.45

30.25%

Permanent material

205,089.65

33.63%

609,774.60

100.00%

Total

As foreseen on the physical-financial timeline for the projects approved to receive funds during the 2009 period, the greatest investments were made in the category of construction materials, third party services and permanent material. Foreseen Funds x Funds Actually Invested Foreseen Funds

Expense items Personnel Spending (w/o Social Act) Food Other items necessary to maintenance Transportation Working, teaching, sports and leisure materials

Funds Invested

A c c o u n t s

Of the foreseen funds, 0.36% were not invested and will be returned to the Social Partnership Network in compliance with Normative Instruction no. 001/2008 of law 11,853. Analysis of the Physical-Financial Execution Administrative and financial management of the Vonpar portfolio Projects was conducted in a transparent way. Several of the partner organizations demonstrated difficulty in filling out the submission of accounts sheets, a problem that was solved over the course of the process and served as part of the education process. During this second stage it was hoped that the organizations in the Network would have knowledge about submission of accounts. For the third stage of the SPN a strategy is being prepared to better conduct the submission of accounts Although several institutions may have presented difficulties, during the closing of the submission of accounts for the portfolioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second stage an acceptable level was arrived at, having achieved a closing of accounts for all the projects, demonstrating in a transparent and documented manner how the funds were invested.

Variation (%)

25,973,91

28,800,00

10.88%

7,119.85

4,220.94

-40.72%

23,465.20

23,735.52

1.15%

24,790.93

17,817.33

-28.13%

17,575.19

16,784.85

-4.50%

Phone, electric, water, Internet and gas Construction materials

2,840.59

4,817.96

69.61%

126,775.15

124,025.90

-2.17%

Third party services

183,867.44

184,482.45

0.33%

Permanent material

199,594.77

205,089.65

2.75%

612,003.03

609,774.60

Total

o f

1st State Meeting in 2009

Overall Results Indicators Lessons Learned and Challenges Faced

Workers in Nova Hartz

his report presents data regarding the projects chosen by the Public Call for Tender presented by the Vonpar Foundation in the realm of the Rio Grande do Sul State Government’s Social Partnership Network. In 2009, 15 projects from 22 cities were chosen involving 37 socio-environmental undertakings (recycling warehouses) and 01 education center for young people specialized in recycling computers.

Education Levels – March 2009 Illiterate Elementary Incomplete Elementary Complete High School Incomplete High School Graduate College Degree Incomplete College Graduate

6% 65% 12.5% 11% 4% 1% 0.5%

Project Date – Overall Numbers Cities Projects Players Undertakings No. of people involved

22 15 15 38 Start Finish

732 719

The abovementioned education center for young people – CESMAR – began the project in January with 88 students as hardware technical apprentices and at the end of the project in November of 2009, it closed the period with 74 young people benefited. In terms of the total number of people directly benefited, in 2009 in Rio Grande do Sul approximately 640 are recyclers of urban solid waste taking part in projects financed by the Vonpar Foundation. The following chart presents data regarding the educational levels of those benefited in 2009. It can be seen that only 4% of them have completed high school and 65% have not completed elementary school. This data refers to regular education. On the other hand, many recyclers have taken part in training courses and participated in a wide variety of educational activities in the realm of community education. Therefore, even though their level of education may be low, these are workers who are eager to learn and seek out training whenever these types of opportunities are available. A significant number of them decided to go back to school.

Speaking of the economic and financial aspects, 2009 was an atypical year because of the worldwide crisis that broke out in October of 2008. The recycling production chain was directly affected by the partial paralyzation of economic activity in the other sectors. At the sorting warehouse this was experienced in a deeper way, as it made remuneration unfeasible for weeks on end at many facilities. And since we are talking about a population without savings, that had a very strong impact. At the start of the Vonpar portfolio projects (March 2009) the average monthly income at the 37 sorting centers was R$ 390.00. From that point on, the prices for materials continued to fall, paralyzing sales for almost the next 60 days. In June the first signs of recovery were seen, with a 3% increase in the average monthly income. For the third and last measurement, in November, the income had risen 27% on average in comparison with March. In the end, that meant increases in remuneration, which resulted: • From the technical trainings and economic production encouragement in these groups; • Slow, but effective recovery of prices during the second half of the year; • Introduction of new technology and sorting instruments; • Knowledge about plastics and appropriate separation of materials; • Public policy support in several cities.

1st State Meeting in 2009

Average Monthly Income Months March June November

People 644 633 645

Individual Avg. (R$) 390.00 401.64 497.41

Volumes Processed by the Associations % Â 3% 27%

March

644

1,057,064

Individual Avg. (Kg) 1,641

June November

633 645

1,112,557 1,158,136

1,758 1,796

Months

This data refers to the 37 participating recycling warehouses.

People

Total (Kg)

This data refers to the 37 participating recycling warehouses.

The results above are consolidated and the numbers are based only on sales of separated and pressed materials. Many of the materials sorted at the centers are not sold, either for lack of a buyer or because they are rejected as lacking commercial value. In March, total sales from the units benefited in the Vonpar network was 1,057,064 kg. By November this volume had grown approximately 10%, as can be seen in the following chart. The total number of workers involved did not change between the two points â&#x20AC;&#x201C; start and finish â&#x20AC;&#x201C; after emerging from the crisis. This suggests growth in productivity and sales of the sorted waste materials. Another significant indicator is that production per capita also grew approximately 10%, increasing from 1,641 kg/ month per person to 1,796 kg/month in November. Productivity is an important piece of data to observe since community recycling associations operate on many different dimensions - economic, social and environmental. The production volumes (quantity of materials separated, in kilograms) attained by each recycler in sorting has a direct impact on their income and on the volume sold by the facility, improving sales negotiations. The quality of the separation does not so much impact volume, but it does have a direct impact on the sale price since the recycling industry is demanding about acquiring waste without mixtures and with low contamination rates.

According to the following pie chart, the sales of paper is the most significant source of income for the warehouses, representing 48% of the total sold, followed by plastics at 34%, and metal and glass at 9% each. 2009 Production: 9,253.5 Tons

. Data referring to study conducted in 2009 based on 20 warehouses in the Porto Alegre Metropolitan Area.

Next, the following charts present regional data about per capita production (total volume of material sold divided by number of workers). This data does not compare the sorting centers, since a wide variety of factors have an influence on the numbers: technology used, production management, worker engagement, manner of collection, volume and quality of the materials received and prices obtained.

The following table contemplates the recycling warehouses in rural RS, with respective per capita production data. On average, productivity began to increase in June, a reflection of the sales by several warehouses that did not sell any materials in March and also resulting from the recovery of prices on the recyclable materials market (end of the crisis). It can be seen that in November another slight drop in the average took place, falling to 1,357 kg/month. It is important to note that each city has its own specific dynamics regarding recycling, separation of recyclable materials, public policy, warehouses etc., and this requires analysis on a more local level.

All of this contributes to elevated productivity and income in this region (greater than R$ 1,200.00 per capita) in comparison with the others.

Rural RS Production Per Capita (kg) Undertakings

MAR

JUN

NOV

Jardim Glória

687

2,688

2,660

Carazinho

463

2,719

714

ARCA

2,012

788

1,622

Consolação

1,972

817

2,136

Interbairros (Inter-neighborhood)

2,354

3,731

2,012

Novo Amanhã (New Tomorrow)

1,152

3,001

1,457

Serrano

2,293

2,423

1,896

Vida Nova Fátima

1,880

1,648

1,404

ACCA

345

ACATA/Ijuí

267

359

AAMA

1,692

1,895

2,559

AREVI

1,421

485

1,304

3,934

1,553

Vitória da Vila da Quinta

967

862

773

ARPS

423

537

291

ASMAR

1,196

1,227

1,487

Ecos do Verde A Arte de Reciclar (The Art of Recycling) Average

2,257

1,601

2,296

389

550

719

1,169

1,692

1,357

Cootraempo

For its part, Vale do Sapateiro (Shoemaker Valley), shown in the next chart, presented significant production, which resulted from several regional factors: • They developed sorting systems on conveyors for all of the waste collected in the region’s cities • They work on contract with their respective city halls, taking part in the city government’s system • They have more stable human resources and have factory experience • Some of the sorting centers carry out plastics processing, adding value to those materials

Vale do Sapateiro - RS Production Per Capita (kg) Undertakings

MAR

JUN

NOV

Dois Irmãos

4,164

2,926

4,546

Coopernova

3,259

3,600

3,978

Coolabore.

3,578

3,503

3,729

Nascente do Vale

2,031

1,912

1,602

Recibom

4,637

4,009

3,194

3,534

3,190

3,410

Average

In the city of São Leopoldo, the system to separate recyclable waste was changed in 2009. The sorting centers used to conduct door-to-door collection, employing a significant number of the groups’ members. The rest stayed in the warehouse sorting the materials. That model went into crisis and City Hall hired a company to perform the collection, which will be gradually extended to reach the city’s entire territory. The sorting centers still perform the collection in several neighborhoods during a transition period. This dynamic directly affects productivity and the association’s economic results.

Nevertheless, average production rates grew in comparison to the other months prior to November, as seen in the following chart. S茫o Leopoldo - RS Production Per Capita (kg) Undertakings

MAR

JUN

NOV

Atur贸i Vit贸ria

344

212

571

1.050 514

1.041 633

858 619

636

629

683

Nova Conquista Uniciclar Average

The Canoas/Esteio project presents different situations in terms of access to the materials from the recyclable separation program. While in Canoas the sorting centers are supplied with good volumes by the hired company, in Esteio the members are involved in the collection, accompanying the truck lent by City Hall. The average production per capita increased slightly in June and stabilized in November in comparison with March. Several internal organizational difficulties had negative effects on the productivity of several groups, although in others there was clear progress.

system. One highlight to be pointed out is the Cleaner Barra project: although the town of Barra do Ribeiro has a very incipient recyclable material separation program, which is currently being restructured and is still divided into collection in the streets and sorting, the workers have achieved high productivity levels when compared with the other sorting units in Porto Alegre Alegre, except the Prophetsof Ecology I, which receives materials from the city recyclable material separation program. Porto Alegre, Alvorada and Barra do Ribeiro - RS Production Per Capita (kg) Undertakings Ilha Grande dos Marinheiros Campo da Tuca Profetas da Ecologia I ACATA/Alvorada Barra Limpa Average

MAR 966 1,402 1,033 893 1,308 1,120

JUN 769 1,832 205 802 1,050 931

NOV 1,381 1,351 2,133 1,166 1,838 1,574

Plastics workshop in Esteio

Canoas e Esteio - RS Production Per Capita (kg) Undertakings ARCA/Esteio Renascer ARLAS ARMC ATREMAG Average

MAR 887 1.698 1.166 791 1.088 1.126

JUN 867 1.679 1.406 1.008 967 1.185

NOV 804 1.265 2.069 1.508 263 1.182

The next chart presents per capita production data for Porto Alegre, Alvorada and Barra do Ribeiro. There was a 40% increase in productivity when compared to the moment considered as the start by the monitoring 51

Next, the situation of recyclable material separation in the cities benefited by the Vonpar portfolio and the Integrated Project, identifying how the system currently functions. In several cities, the government has not organized any recyclable material separation program, and only conventional garbage collection takes place. In most of the cities, recyclable material separation is operated by third party companies that deliver the materials to the warehouses. In others, in addition to

the sorting work, the associations work on the collection in collaboration with City Hall, although most often without the proper destination of funding to support the operation and recognition of the important public service being provided by the garbage handlers and warehouses. In terms of the separation and sorting work done on the recyclable waste, the situation of the cities was already described within each project’s section.

Forms of Access to the Material Alvorada

City Hall carries out waste sorting with the Association’s participation.

Barra do Ribeiro

Conventional, non-separating garbage collection by third party company and Recyclable Separating collection by Association.

Bento Gonçalves

Recyclable material collection by third party company

Bom Príncipio

Conventional (non-selective) collection by City Hall

Campo Bom

Conventional garbage collection by third party company

Canoas

Recyclable material collection by third party company

Carazinho

Recyclable material collection by third party company and Association

Caxias do Sul

Recyclable material collection by City Hall

Cruz Alta

Conventional garbage collection by third party company

Dois Irmãos

Recyclable material collection by City Hall

Esteio

Conventional garbage collection by third party company and recyclable materials collection by the Association in collaboration with City Hall

Ijuí

Recyclable material collection by third party company

Nova Hartz

Recyclable materials collection by Recyclers Association

Passo Fundo

Recyclable materials collection by City Hall, third party company and Cootraempo

Porto Alegre

Recyclable material collection by third party company

Rio Grande

Recyclable material collection by City Hall

Santa Maria

Recyclable material collection by third party company

Santo Ângelo

Recyclable material collection by third party company

São Leopoldo São Miguel das Missões Sapiranga

Collection was reformulated this year, with a third party company replacing the collection carried out by the associations Conventional garbage collection by third party company and recyclable material collected by the Association Recyclable material collection by third party company

The data refers to 21 cities, since in the city of Viamão the project was discontinued, and for this reason its data was not tabulated.

Next, an overview of the 37 recycling undertakings contemplated in 2009, with the respective data for March, June and November. 52

Supported Socio-environmental Undertakings Socio-Environmental Undertakings Dois Irmãos Coopernova Coolabore Nascente do Vale Recibom Aturói Vitória

No. of people involved

Individual Avg. Income (R$)

MAR

JUN

NOV

800.00

1,100.00

699.00

Monthly Material Volumes (kg)

MAR

JUN

NOV

1,350.00

1,120.00

1,750.00

MAR 87,446

JUN 61,451

NOV 95,474

750.00

950.00

182,483

180,006

159,130

1,000.00

1,300.00

121,635

119,100

126,787

700.00

763.29

42,660

38,233

32,048

1,200.00

1,400.00

948.37

41,730

32,069

31,935

145.00

125.00

186.80

8,250

5,087

10,856

Nova Conquista (New Victory)

290.00

276.00

260.00

29,406

31,240

24,892

Uniciclar ARCA/Esteio Renascer (Rebirth) ARLAS ARMC ATREMAG

133.00

150.00

260.00

12,856

17,100

18,575

275.00

280.00

273.00

14,196

13,000

15,284

450.00

400.00

28,863

28,545

26,569

320.00

409.73

650.00

39,643

44,997

62,057

175.00

210.00

359.71

10,279

14,113

24,127

344.00

300.00

90.50

22,841

24,169

5,526

Ilha Grande dos Marinheiros

466.00

300.00

400.00

17,389

15,387

23,474

Campo da Tuca Profetas da Ecologia I (Ecology

250.00

350.00

29,436

34,799

27,010

200.00

400.00

645.00

25,817

4,500

49,050

ACATA/Alvorada Barra Limpa (Cleaner Barra) Jardim Glória Carazinho ARCA/Caxias do Sul Consolação Interbairros (Inter-neighborhood) Novo Amanhã (New Tomorrow) Serrano Vida Nova Fátima ACCA ACATA/Ijuí AAMA AREVI Cootraempo Vitória da Vila da Quinta ARPS ASMAR Ecos do Verde A Arte de Reciclar (The Art of

168.00

376.00

342.00

14,289

12,023

12,830

350.00

376.00

635.00

11,768

9,450

14,704

178.60

566.19

634.00

17,177

69,890

58,511

Prophets I)

Recycling)

TOTAL * No sales occurred.

20.00

120.00

200.00

2,777

10,876

4,283

550.00

450.00

611.00

32,185

19,701

29,189 32,039

200,00

180.00

9,859

12,261

550.00

380.00

825.00

42,372

63,423

32,186

588.00

764.00

680.00

10,369

27,007

17,486

540.00

450.00

650.00

66,511

67,840

45,502

420.00

311.00

406.00

28,202

29,672

23,871

120.00

1,378

53.71

55.74

1,600

4,309 15,353

176.56

243.07

499.73

10,152

11,368

472.12

319.00

9,949

4,847

149.13

318.18

299.27

10,430

31,471

21,741

104.28

200.00

66.90

5,804

4,309

3,865

77.00

130.00

98.00

1,690

3,220

1,454

280.00

400.00

16,748

18,403

23,798

280.00

230.00

400.00

58,688

41,620

75,780

54.14

600.00

203.77

3,113

3,300

3,594

644

633

645

390.39

401.64

497.41

1,057,064

1,112,557

1,158,136

CAMP workshop in Nova Hartz

54 54

Lessons Learned and Challenges

Lessons Learned and Challenges Faced by the Integrated Project

009 was a year marked by consolidation of the Integrated Project, which brought together a variety of players in the field of recycling. The networking and partnerships made it possible to build a collective and complementary project from different fields of expertise and forms of support. Because there are so many players involved â&#x20AC;&#x201C; each one with a specific role, contributing in their own way â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the process of building this dynamic took some time to be assimilated.

projects before their approval were able to broaden the perspective on managing the waste produced by cities and contributed to beginning the projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s execution. Generally, an evaluation is made to see if several of the interventions were improved and resulted in benefits for the groups, especially regarding the dialogue with government authorities and the implantation of sorting table technology, seeking greater productivity.

Work was done to encourage group autonomy, stimulating them to be prepared for decision making and problem solving. There was a listening process about the ways the groups are organized internally, both in relation to the production processes and to the use of administrative tools. From there, improvements were suggested.

The work to expand the dialogue with and participation of government authorities towards obtaining waste collection solutions is seen as a priority because the promotion of quality recyclable material collection and the delivery of raw materials to the recyclers is the responsibility of the government, essential to city waste management and consequentially, towards the viability of associative group involvement.

The interventions in the sorting centers during the monitoring of the projects by Vonpar varied widely and depended on the situation of each location, on the demands presented and on the possibility of involvement of CAMP and the Vonpar Foundation. The technical visits made to new partners presenting

What we have observed is that the existence of a recyclable materials separation program alone is not enough to ensure quality and positive results. Geographic reach is necessary in the collection of solid waste and environmental education needs to be constantly encouraged to obtain quality trash 55 55

Meeting of Integrated Project partners

Lessons Learned and Challenges

separation by a community. Quality in sorting is essential in creating favorable trade relationships and for making progress possible in the production chain, such as material processing. Overall, in the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more rural areas, the matter of managing solid waste by the city has yet to be developed on a significant scale and this directly affects sustainable development. Likewise, recycling is seen as a problem to be solved and not as having strategic importance in terms of waste treatment and social inclusion, in addition to having the power to reduce budgets. A general lack of involvement of the private sector in this subject can also be noted. The monitoring process has reinforced the idea that significant change does not occur merely by acquiring equipment. Educational and monitoring work is essential for recyclers. The technical void is easier to overcome than the management challenge. As an economic undertaking, it should seek profitability and up-to-date technology, without neglecting the social nature of the work, which seeks to institute a democratic and participatory dynamic to the management, and this has revealed itself to be challenging. The impact evaluation conducted at the end of the project was profound. Through the organization of focal groups with the recyclers it was possible to understand

the readings regarding the undertakings and results obtained by the projects. In addition, the groupsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; proposing and supporting organizations answered evaluation questionnaires about the execution of the experiment. One of the difficulties faced was in collecting data for the Vonpar indicators. On the one hand, the great fragility of most of the groups regarding the implantation of systematic controls could be seen. On the other, there was a lack of understanding about the importance of supplying the expected data in compensation for receiving support. Regarding the monitoring, the supplying of data and submission of accounts to the Social Partnership Network, CAMP and the Vonpar Foundation can improve communication with the sorting centers by way of specific training on this subject. In the Porto Alegre â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Caxias do Sul area, with few exceptions, the sorting centers are ensured adequate supplies of materials for sorting. Nevertheless, the technology used and especially the manner in which the workers are organized in production has shown low rates of productivity. Characteristics of the associations and cooperatives in Vale do Sapateiro show competitive productivity rates and degrees of organization (see charts on per capita production, by region, in Indicators). 57

Lessons Learned and Challenges

These are internal dynamics that need to make progress if they are to achieve adequate wages that will motivate people to stay in this line of work.

When they achieve a minimum degree of stability by improving income, associations then have possibilities to better plan their organization. With improved wages, they can contribute to their social security fund, much hoped for by these workers. Another factor that has been observed is the significant difference between regions in terms of sales. The difference in prices when selling materials reduces the stability and weakens warehouses located further away from the Porto Alegre, Sinos Valley and Highlands Metropolitan Areas, where there is a concentration of buyers and recycling plants. At the beginning of the year, the sorting center workers faced great difficulties in price negotiations and in placing their materials on the market. Huge worker turnover took place, with many losing motivation and others going out in search of income outside the association. During the second half of the year, the picture began to change, which was encouraging. During times of crisis, the quality of the materials sorted and business ability are important factors in facing the situation. 58

The most acute stage of the crisis revealed the importance of the plastics processing that some sorting centers were already carrying out. The prices for processed plastics did not fall like they did for other materials. Additionally, during the crisis they were able to place materials that the other sorting centers were not able to on the market. In this way, these groups did not suffer such a great loss in wages. The study conducted by CAMP in collaboration with Maxiquim points to critical factors and business opportunities. This shows what the sorting centers and their partners will have to face as they continue the projects. The lessons learned over the course of this year point to many persistent challenges in the recycling sector. Much has been done and there is still a lot of work to do, demonstrating that although the journey may be a long one, it must be continued with tenacity. Much positive work is already being done at the sorting centers. However, assistance to the groups must be systematic, continuous and well-planned, understanding the fragilities of this kind of undertaking. Working within the limitations, significant progress is possible within the recycling production chain. CAMP â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Community Education Center

2009 CAMP Recycling Team