In early April, the Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan for the City of São Paulo was launched. Present at the event were the Mayor of São Paulo, Fernando Haddad, the Deputy Mayor, Nádia Campeão, the Municipal Secretary of Services, Simão Pedro, the President of AMLURB, Silvano Silvério, the Secretary of Green Areas and Environment, Wanderley Nascimento, the Secretary of Water Resources and Urban Environment, Ney Maranhão (Ministry of the Environment), and Nancy Darcolete from the National Movement of Recyclable Material Collectors.

On that occasion, the organizers thanked ICLEI – Governments for Sustainability for its participation in the event, and cited in the Plan the importance of solid waste management at large events, alluding to ICLEI's Sustainable and Integrated Waste Management at Events Project. "The São Paulo Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan (PGIRS) also defines the need for the development of Solid Waste Management Plans by those responsible for large events and fairs held in the city, considering that these are commercial and service activities that generate waste which, due to its volume, is not comparable to household waste."“

The Plan comprises a twenty-year plan and will undergo revisions every four years. The document was developed in a participatory manner, culminating in the 4th Municipal Conference on the Environment, held between August 30 and September 1, 2013, and brings São Paulo into compliance with the National Solid Waste Policy.

Among the goals presented by the plan, the following stand out: expanding the selective collection of dry recyclable waste from 1.8% to 10% by 2016. This will be achieved by expanding selective collection to all 96 districts of São Paulo, constructing four mechanized sorting centers, and reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills. Currently, 98.2% of the solid waste generated in the city is sent to landfills; the goal is to reduce this figure to 20% in the next 20 years by sending only non-recyclable waste to landfills.

The Plan also provides specific guidelines for the differentiated management of dry waste, organic waste, urban cleaning waste, construction and bulky waste, healthcare waste, waste with reverse logistics, sanitation waste, transportation systems waste, industrial waste, agroforestry and mining waste. Furthermore, it foresees establishing actions to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with Law No. 12.187/2009, disposal areas, economic sustainability, environmental education, and social control.

Access the new Plan here