Urban Cleaning and Productive Inclusion: Challenges and Opportunities for Waste Picker Inclusion in Brazilian Cities

Sarue, Betina

This article explores the redistribution potential of urban cleaning policies, using the cases of São Paulo, Belo Horizonte, and Rio de Janeiro as points of comparison. These cities exemplify varying degrees of redistributive policies within the urban sanitation sector, specifically in the inclusion of waste picker cooperatives. The study investigates the historical trajectory of these policies, focusing on moments of progressive expansion, especially under left-leaning governments, and the setbacks experienced during more market-oriented administrations. The redistributive model, characterized by continuous remuneration and formalization of cooperatives, contrasts with technocratic and privatized models where inclusion is either secondary or non-existent. In São Paulo, during the administration of Fernando Haddad (2013-2016), there was a marked shift towards a redistributive approach, which, however, faced challenges and setbacks in formulating an institutional model that combined market aspects with occasional advances in productive inclusion. Meanwhile, in Belo Horizonte, the arrangements established during left-leaning administrations early in the redemocratization process allowed some redistributive aspects to persist, even as right-leaning administrations took over. In Rio de Janeiro, inclusion remains sporadic, primarily driven by cooperative strategies to secure contracts. This analysis situates urban cleaning policies within broader questions of inequality, environmental justice, and sustainable urban development, offering insights into the role of public financing and social policies in achieving equitable outcomes in cities of the Global South.