The paper deals with a set of dimensions about research and development on environmental sanitation, based on the national reality. The historic background, the research sense and aim, and the investigation object and method are discussed. The themes of human resources, scientific communication, technology transfer, funding and evaluation are introduced, emphasizing the need of deeper approach. A protocol regarding classification and selection of R&D in the area is proposed and it is applied as an exercise. The paper concludes that the theme lacks several important issues, resulting on the need of: surveying the existing initiative and programs that fund researches; evaluating the social basis that support researches; discussing research objects and conceptual basis; discussing methodological frameworks; prospecting research themes, through appropriated protocol and methodology. Finally, the development of a directive plane for environmental sanitation researches, providing the basis and supporting future policies on the area, is proposed.
Environmental sanitation; research; development; technology; R&D
