Recycling and separate waste collection are fundamental actions for a more sustainable future. However, their adoption still faces many challenges. In Brazil, according to data from the Brazilian Association of Waste and the Environment, only 8.7% of urban solid waste is recycled. As a result, the country wastes around R$14 billion per year on materials that could be recycled but instead end up in landfills without proper treatment, according to a survey by Recicla Sampa.

There is, however, significant potential to change this scenario, especially when it comes to separate waste collection, which—unlike many other environmental issues—starts with individual action and takes place in everyday spaces such as the kitchen, bathroom, and office. When a person correctly separates a plastic bottle from the rest of the trash, for example, they enable a chain that generates income, saves natural resources, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

What is separate waste collection?

Separate waste collection is the process of sorting solid waste in advance according to its characteristics, facilitating its destination for recycling. Unlike traditional waste collection, where all waste is mixed together, separate waste collection organizes materials into categories before they are collected.

“Separate waste collection is the starting point of the value chain, where you can separate recyclable materials by type from non‑recyclable ones,” explains Renata Rodrigues, a Circular Economy specialist at the sustainability consultancy Manuia.

This separation can be carried out either by collection services or by citizens themselves when disposing of waste correctly in recycling bins. In Brazil, CONAMA Resolution No. 275/2001 establishes a color standard: blue for paper, red for plastics, green for glass, yellow for metals, and brown for organic waste. According to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), 60.5% of municipalities have some form of separate waste collection service, but implementation is uneven: the South leads with 81.9%, while the North has only 33.5%.

Differences between separate waste collection and recycling

Although the terms are often used as synonyms, they represent different stages of the process. Separate waste collection refers to the prior separation of materials by type. Recycling is the industrial reprocessing that transforms these materials into new products.

However, not all recycling generates the same economic value. “There is upstream recycling, when you reprocess the material and create a product with greater market value, such as PET bottles with recycled content,” explains Renata. This type of recycling adds value and strengthens the circular economy. Downstream recycling, on the other hand, results in products with lower added value, such as turning fabric softener packaging into broom bristles, for example.

The importance and benefits of separate waste collection

From an environmental perspective, proper separation drastically reduces the volume of waste sent to landfills, extending their lifespan and minimizing methane emissions—a gas that is 25 times more potent than CO₂. Aluminum is a good example of how recycling reduces impacts: producing the metal from recycled material consumes only 5% of the energy required to process virgin bauxite, its original raw material.

From a social standpoint, around 800,000 waste pickers make a living from recycling in Brazil, 70% of whom are women, according to Recicla Sampa. “Separate waste collection generates income for waste pickers and reduces urban cleaning costs,” says Renata. In many cities, organized cooperatives play a leading role in the success of separate waste collection—after all, it is crucial that materials actually reach recycling companies. “Large PET recyclers are short of raw material because it gets lost along the way,” warns Renata. For a material to be recyclable, three conditions are required: economic value, post‑consumer demand, and available technology.

How separate waste collection works

In the United Kingdom

The British system operates with standardized curbside separate waste collection. Each household receives color‑coded containers for different types of waste. Since March 2026, the “Simpler Recycling” legislation has made separate food waste collection mandatory.

England plans to implement a deposit return scheme for beverage packaging in 2027. Consumers will pay an upfront deposit when purchasing the product and receive it back when returning the packaging to automated machines in supermarkets.

In Brazil

In companies, color‑coded bins follow the CONAMA standard, and specialized service providers collect the already separated materials. In households, the most common model is curbside separate waste collection on specific days, and it is important to understand how this service works: whether there are dedicated trucks for separate waste collection, for example.

If separate waste collection does not exist, an alternative is Voluntary Drop‑Off Points (PEVs). Installed in supermarkets and recycling centers, they allow citizens to bring cleaned and sorted recyclables. “This is the best scenario because it avoids contamination of recyclables with organic waste,” highlights Renata.

How to implement separate waste collection at home

Clean before disposal

“The first and most important thing is cleaning,” emphasizes Renata. “You can’t throw away a yogurt container with residue.” It is important to rinse packaging to remove food leftovers, remove caps and labels when possible, and let items dry before disposal. Dirty materials lose value and contaminate entire batches, compromising separate waste collection.

Organize the separation

Even basic separation makes a difference: dry recyclables (paper, plastic, glass, metal), organic waste (food scraps, peels), and rejects (contaminated materials, diapers). If space allows, the ideal is to organize by material type. In Brazil, the color‑coded bin system also supports separate waste collection.

Blue: paper and cardboard

Red: plastic and Styrofoam

Green: glass

Yellow: metal

Brown: organic waste

Gray: non‑recyclable or mixed waste

Learn about your local system

Citizens can find out whether separate waste collection exists in their neighborhood and on which days it takes place. It is also worth checking which materials are accepted and whether there are nearby Voluntary Drop‑Off Points. “If a condominium does not have separate waste collection, it’s the citizen’s role to request it,” says Renata.

Look for alternatives

Supermarkets, pharmacies, and other businesses often provide drop‑off points for recyclables and waste that requires proper disposal, such as medicines, light bulbs, and batteries. “I look for voluntary drop‑off points because I know they make a difference to separate waste collection,” says Renata.

Know what is not recyclable

Mirrors, flat glass, carbon paper, ceramics, and Styrofoam are not recyclable in most locations. “Styrofoam weighs almost nothing, has no market, and lacks widespread technology,” explains Renata.

Main challenges of separate waste collection

Globally, there is a lack of adequate infrastructure and public awareness. In Brazil, nearly 40% of municipalities do not have separate waste collection, and of the total tonnage collected by city governments, only half is recycled.

Despite the availability of separate waste collection, many systems remain inefficient due to contamination, insufficient infrastructure, and lack of proper guidance.

Conclusion: separate waste collection is a shared responsibility

Separate waste collection is the first step toward a circular economy, in which resources do not end their life in the trash but are reconsidered and transformed into new solutions. For this cycle to be completed—and for today’s waste to become tomorrow’s resource—governments, companies, and citizens must act together. By separating waste responsibly and understanding where it goes, it is possible to strengthen separate waste collection systems in homes, neighborhoods, and workplaces—and ensure that discarded materials are effectively recycled.