E-Tricycles Are Powering a Recycling Revolution in Fortaleza, Brazil

Rafaela Aires's workday starts at 9:00 a.m., leading her down city streets that weave past the Atlantic shoreline and under concrete overpasses. Her collected bottles and cardboard boxes used to form heaps in a hand-drawn cart. Now, they rattle in her electric tricycle's cargo collection container as she zips down bike lanes.

"I feel like a warrior when I'm cycling," Aires laughs. "I'm really happy."

This hasn't always been the case. As a longtime catadore, or waste picker, in Fortaleza, Brazil, Aires remembers being looked down on and insulted for her work in the past. According to Musamara Pereira, another catadore, those working in the field have often been called "vulture" or "trash ripper." "People still didn't see [us] as professionals," she explained.

Yet, the work that Aires and Pereira do is essential.

Fortaleza has almost no citywide waste and recycling infrastructure. Like in many other Brazilian cities, an estimated 8,000 catadores - who are not formally employed by the city - form the backbone of its waste management system, providing most of its pickup services and selling collected recyclables to third parties to earn a living.

Hand-drawn carts like these are a familiar sight in Fortaleza, used by catadores to clean up the bulk of the city's waste. Photo by WRI

While the Brazilian government has made efforts to formalize the job in recent decades, most catadores face hazardous working conditions. Many pull up to 240 kilograms (530 pounds) of waste over the course of an 18-hour workday using hand-drawn carts. Salaries fluctuate based on how much each person collects and what they can sell it for, with the average Fortaleza waste picker often taking in just R$300 (about US$53) a month.

Meanwhile, trash accumulates. In 2023, a mere 6% of Fortaleza's waste ended up in processing facilities, leaving curbsides crammed with trash bags and cardboard boxes. "Sometimes, Fortaleza is not a clean city," admitted local restaurant owner Manu Duvale. "We live with trash as if it's nothing."

But for the last four years, Fortaleza's recycling problem - and the catadores' jobs - have been gradually improving. This is largely thanks to an innovative project called Re-Ciclo led by the Fortaleza government's Innovation Laboratory. And e-tricycle warriors like Aires are powering the change.

Reimagining Waste Management in Fortaleza

Fortaleza is far from the only city in Brazil lacking recycling infrastructure; over 90% of the country's waste ends up in landfills or dumps. This comes with a significant climate impact. In Fortaleza, unrecycled waste accounts for one-third of the city's planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions.

Re-Ciclo has worked to both uplift Fortaleza's catadores and expand its recycling infrastructure by redefining how the city manages waste. Central to this effort is a fleet of electric tricycles that has enabled the city's first-ever door-to-door collection service for recyclables while also strengthening its cycling system for all residents.

Re-Ciclo has reimagined what a catadore can do.

Through the program, catadores now collect recyclables along specific routes through the city's neighborhoods, stopping by homes and apartments where residents have requested recycling pick-up. The recyclables are deposited at one of dozens of "Eco-Points" - the city's network of collection centers, established through Re-Ciclo - where they are sorted and cleaned by waste pickers and then sold to recycling intermediaries.

Recycling is a complex process involving multiple companies and associations. Here, waste pickers unload their recyclables at the Eco-Points, where they get prepared for further shipment. Photo by WRI

But Re-Ciclo is not just a waste collection program. It's also significantly improved the catadores' working conditions.

In most cases, better recycling has translated to more efficient work and more stable pay for Re-Ciclo workers. Raquel Silva, president of the Moura Brasil Waste Pickers Association, explained that she can now visit 10-16 collection sites per trip before returning to the Eco-Points in the same time it used to take her to visit 3-4 sites.

The program also collects data along pick-up routes, enabling catadores to track the volume of their collected recyclables and drive better salary negotiations. Re-Ciclo encourages unaffiliated waste pickers to join associations to drive more collective bargaining power.

Thanks to a more stable income and reliable collection monitoring, most workers now receive significantly higher salaries - up to 500% above previous levels. "Today, the waste collector who is part of Re-Ciclo earns his daily wage for the goals achieved," Pereira said. "[The waste collector] has transportation vouchers, has meal vouchers, and is now valued."

Re-Ciclo bikes outfitted with GPS systems and rechargeable batteries allow waste pickers to travel further, faster. Photo by WRI

How Waste Workers Helped Design a Better Recycling System

Re-Ciclo began in earnest during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Fortaleza's government sought ways to support catadores who were suddenly unable to work. The city's Innovation Laboratory (LABIFOR) aimed to develop a solution that could address workers' needs while simultaneously tackling the city's waste problems. Catadores themselves were central to this process.

"For us, it was fundamental in this policy that the waste picker associations were part of the design of the program from the very beginning," explained Luiz Alberto Sabóia, President of CITINOVA, Fortaleza's Science, Technology and Innovation Foundation department that houses LABIFOR. The group conducted focus sessions with all 16 waste picker associations across the city. According to Nirlania Diógenes, manager of Re-Ciclo, these initial discussions informed the city's decisions to establish the Eco-Points and provide catadores with e-tricycles.

The Innovation Lab continued to work closely with waste picker associations throughout the project's prototyping phases to solicit feedback and pinpoint areas for improvement. Multiple rounds of testing enabled the team to create e-tricycles that were lighter, easier to maneuver and more responsive to catadores' needs. The new e-tricycles can carry up to 150 kilograms (330 pounds) of recyclables, covering greater distances at twice the speed of traditional hand-drawn carts.

In a profession marked by high risk of injury and health hazards, Re-Ciclo provided catadores with personal protective equipment and brightly colored uniforms to increase their visibility. LABIFOR conducted training workshops to familiarize workers with new collection routines, support their transition to e-tricycles and train them to interact with clients.

Pictured from left to right are Raquel Silva, president of the Moura Brasil Waste Pickers Association; Luiz Alberto Sabóia, president of CITINOVA; and Nirlania Diógenes, manager of Re-Ciclo. Close collaboration between CITINOVA and the waste picker associations ensured that Re-Ciclo responsive to the catadores' needs. Photo by WRI

Rolling out the program required citywide outreach. To promote residential recycling, the team unveiled a web-based collection app so that users could sign up for door-to-door service along Re-Ciclo's main routes. Meanwhile, those living outside the service routes could drop off their waste directly at Eco-Points. This expanded access to recycling and helped increase the ease and convenience of collection, providing an easily scalable solution. The city also conducted education campaigns for residents and business owners throughout the design phase.

"I think anyone who becomes aware of and understands [Re-Ciclo] can't help but appreciate it," Duvale, the restaurant manager, said. "When [trash] is well taken care of, it's a source of income; it's raw material."

Renewed Pride in Recycling Is Inspiring a Greener Fortaleza

Fortaleza has started to take notice. Re-Ciclo's e-tricycles transported 380 tons of recyclables during their first full year of operations and have helped recycle 980 tons of waste since 2022. Thanks to this project and other incentives by the city government, Fortaleza has since seen a 541% growth in its recycling program.

"It is a watershed in Fortaleza in terms of selective waste collection," Sabóia said.

Fortaleza residents along Re-Ciclo's recycling collection routes can use its mobile app to easily request door-to-door recycling pickup. Photo by WRI

Hannah Mendes, a Fortaleza resident, remembers the trash generated during the city's Carnival celebrations and has been surprised to see cleaned-up beaches on the morning after the festivities. "Everything is already collected, and everything is clean. It's hugely satisfying to see."

Among catadores, the project has created a sense of pride. Many cited the uniforms and e-tricycles as sources of increased recognition from the community. Residents have reached out to catadores to learn more about the project or to sign up. Some even ask to take selfies with Re-Ciclo workers. And work in the recycling warehouses no longer invites the judgment that it used to. "You go to a warehouse or an association and see many young people working... and there's no more prejudice," Borges, a long-time waste picker, explained.

Making the Leap from Pilot to Practice

As it continues to expand, Re-Ciclo is looking to play an increasing role in Fortaleza's long-term sustainability. The project is now part of Maís Fortaleza, a city program that runs a suite of circular economy initiatives and is now accommodating e-waste disposal at Eco-Points. The city government has set its sights on achieving recycling for 50% of all waste over the coming eight years.

According to restaurant owner Manu Duvale, using Re-Ciclo's service has helped his restaurant come closer to sustainable operation. Photo by WRI

Moving forward, LABIFOR plans to grow its fleet from 20 to 150 e-tricycles by December 2024, employing more than 200 catadores and serving all 12 of the city's districts. Ongoing work with the Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative (TUMI), which provided funding for the initial pilot program, aims to optimize routes through data mapping and spatial analysis. And the team hopes to outfit future e-tricycles with solar panels that will charge them during collection.

Re-Ciclo may ultimately offer a blueprint for future recycling efforts across the country. Brazil's 2022 National Solid Waste Plan has targeted 48% of all waste to reach recycling centers by 2040, though it faces steep challenges doing so.

Shifting attitudes won't happen overnight, said Élcio Batista, Fortaleza's vice mayor - though residents are beginning to "realize how much they can contribute." Connecting people to recycling disposal is an important start. According to Sabóia, the program has since inspired neighboring cities, such as Sobral, to follow suit.

For catadores, Re-Ciclo is a daily reminder of their importance.

"We are recycling, and I can help many people without job opportunities," Silva reflected, "I am saving the environment - it's a mix of many things. For me, it is a joy to be part of Re-Ciclo and a collector."

The 2023-2024 WRI Ross Center Prize for Cities celebrates projects and initiatives building momentum for climate-ready communities. From five finalists, one grand prize winner will be announced Sept. 25.