Socioeconomic profile of professional caregivers of four cooperatives of solid waste in the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre/RS, Brazil

Abstract

Urbanization and population growth led to the emergence of one of the greatest environmental problems of our generation: the immeasurable production of solid waste. Realizing this opportunity to work and income, professional groomer arises from his individual performance to your organization in associations or recycling cooperatives. After more than a decade of its formalization, if do not have a profile of this professional who works directly with waste management. The purpose of this article is to describe the socioeconomic profile of the collectors of the Greater Porto Alegre Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. For the collection of data of this investigation was applied a closed interview 50 pickers for construction of the socioeconomic profile. We conducted individual interviews based on socioeconomic questionnaire according to the parameters established by Behs. The results show the feminization work, precariousness in education, but an income that allows the permanence of these workers in recycling warehouses. The professional recycled garbage pickers does not invest in training or qualification of his work, however, keeps a dignified manner, with income and the possibility of action from the values built on cooperativismo.