FINAL DESTINATION OF PET BOTTLE WASTE: STUDY WITH RESIDENTS OF IPEGUE VILLAGE

Abstract

Waste generation and its improper disposal is a problem worldwide. In indigenous villages, the search for a harmonious relationship with nature is a tradition; nevertheless, this tradition has been weakened due to the consumption of industrialized products, such as soft drinks in bottles composed of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) material. The Ipegue Village is located in a region known as the Portal do Pantanal, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, and has shown an increase in the consumption of PET bottles accompanied by their inappropriate disposal and lack of collection by the government. The PET bottle is a major problem for the environment mainly due to its slow decomposition. This study investigated the final destination of PET bottles consumed by residents of Ipegue Village. The survey shows that the behavior of respondents in the community in relation to this topic is very precarious and, although many acknowledged awareness of the impacts caused by PET bottles, consumption of soft drinks is high and thus there is a large number of bottles for disposal. The final destination of most bottles is the discard on the soil in the village, where they remain. The respondents showed total interest in participating in a workshop on PET bottle recycling. However, a single measure is not considered fully effective, also requiring actions that encourage the reduction of consumption of PET bottles.