Video

The video presented by Kyle Farrell - www.linkedin.com/in/kylefarrell19

Summary Section

Problem Summary

São Paulo, Brazil’s largest and wealthiest city, faces a critical environmental challenge rooted in ineffective household waste management, particularly in low-income favelas. The city generates over 20,000 tons of municipal solid waste daily, yet historically around 99% has been sent to landfills.

In underserved communities, limited formal collection, low recycling rates, and inadequate infrastructure lead to waste being improperly disposed of in streets and waterways. This contributes directly to the severe pollution of rivers such as the Tietê and Pinheiros, which are heavily contaminated by untreated sewage and solid waste.

The problem disproportionately affects favela residents, who face heightened flood risk, poorer public health outcomes, and reduced access to clean and reliable water. It also increases pressure on the city’s already fragile water supply system, undermining long-term water security and environmental resilience.

Solution Summary

We propose a 12-month, government-funded recycling incentive pilot across five São Paulo favelas, engaging approximately 5,000–10,000 households.

Households receive payment per kilogram of recyclable material returned, directly aligning environmental behaviour with financial benefit. Collection is carried out by local waste pickers using low-cost cargo bicycles, enabling efficient access in dense areas while formalising and increasing their incomes.

The model is technically feasible, requiring minimal new infrastructure and leveraging existing informal recycling networks. Financially, first-year costs are estimated at R$800,000–R$1 million, with clear potential savings from reduced landfill use, drainage blockages, and clean-up costs. Socially, it creates income streams for low-income households and strengthens community participation. Environmentally, it diverts 300–500+ tonnes of recyclables annually and reduces waste entering storm drains and rivers. The pilot provides measurable impact, supports municipal sustainability goals, and offers a scalable circular-economy model aligned with SDG 6 and SDG 11.

Practical Humility Clause

This proposal is based on several key assumptions and recognised uncertainties. We assume that financial incentives will significantly increase household participation, that recyclable volumes are sufficient to meet diversion targets, and that informal waste pickers are willing and able to engage in a more formalised system. Precise baseline data on current recycling rates and waste leakage in the selected favelas is limited, meaning projected diversion and income impacts are estimates.

There is also uncertainty around long-term behaviour change once incentives taper, potential administrative leakage, and municipal budget continuity beyond the pilot year.