Condicionantes Gerais do Descarte de Lixo nas Metrópoles Brasileiras

One of the main environmental problems arising from the current urbanization process is the excessive generation of residential waste and its inadequate disposal. This study analyzes the socioeconomic and demographic conditions that influence the way in which garbage is disposed of in the homes of Brazilian metropolises, using the Multinomial Logit model, based on data from the National Household Sample Survey-PNAD. The main results of the survey suggest that the upper limits of education (secondary, higher and postgraduate education) reduce the probability of incorrect waste disposal. Other mitigators of incorrect waste disposal are income, gender and internet usage. Furthermore, the level of education of the head of the family and whether the head of the family is a woman are reflected in the attitudes of other household members. These results point to the need to expand educational policies, including environmental education, which can promote positive externalities and can contribute to the dissemination of pro-environmental behavior.