The National Policy on Solid Waste, approved in 2010, recognizes waste pickers organizations as key actors in the Brazilian recycling chain. It also requires that various business sectors deploy reverse logistics programs aimed at their post-consumer waste, favoring the interconnection of waste picker cooperatives in this process. However, little interest from companies in managing reverse logistics programs and difficulties to interconnect companies and cooperatives are major challenges to achieve these goals. This research analyzes the challenges and prospects for developing these initiatives. The research strategy chosen was conducting a case study in "Cooperativa Vira-Lata", focusing on the actions deployed by the organization along with three companies. The results show that the interconnection between companies and cooperatives has the potential to enable reverse flows and generate economic and socio environmental benefits, especially when there is an interconnection between companies, cooperatives, and the government. Challenges such as improving organizational management processes and information systems in the cooperatives, as well as difficulties to engage other suppliers within the reverse chain, were also identified.
Waste pickers; Cooperatives; Solid waste; Reverse logistics; Recycling
