The inadequate disposal of solid waste remains a challenge to public policies for waste management in Brazil. The recycling of waste emerges as an economic measure, socially and environmentally viable to attempt to change this situation. This paper aims to evaluate the economic dimension of recycling solid waste activity. This study was based on the physical volume of recyclable materials from a sample of33 cooperatives of collectors in the Metropolitan Region of Rio de Janeiro. We apply input-output model to simulate the impacts resulting from recycling activity in the economy of Rio de Janeiro in2008. The performance of the cooperatives of scavengers led to a resource savings of approximately R$34 million to the Rio de Janeiro economy.
recycling; input-output; Rio de Janeiro; cooperatives of collectors; resources saved
