Reverse Logistics: evaluation of potential and challenges in Santa Catarina Highlands (Brazil)

1 Contribuciones a Las Ciencias Sociales, São José dos Pinhais, v.18, n.3, p. 01-24, 2025 jan. 2021 Reverse Logistics: evaluation of potential and challenges in Santa Catarina Highlands (Brazil) Logística Reversa: avaliação das potencialidades e desafios na Serra Catarinense (Brasil) Logística Inversa: evaluación de potencialidades y desafíos en la Sierra Catarinense (Brasil) DOI: 10.55905/revconv.18n.3-276 Originals received: 2/25/2025 Acceptance for publication: 3/14/2025 Katynara Goedert Master's student in Environmental Sciences Institution: Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina Address: Lages – Santa Catarina, Brazil E-mail: [email protected] Orcid: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-9794-3866 Larissa Roberta de Jesus Oliveira Master's student in Environmental Sciences Institution: Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina Address: Lages – Santa Catarina, Brazil E-mail: [email protected] Orcid: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-0860-3233 Laura Salvador Master's student in Environmental Sciences Institution: Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina Address: Lages – Santa Catarina, Brazil E-mail: [email protected] Orcid: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-4499-8214 Alexandre Borges Fagundes PhD in Technology Institution: Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná Address: São Bento do Sul – Santa Catarina, Brazil E-mail: [email protected] Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2941-1842 2 Contribuciones a Las Ciencias Sociales, São José dos Pinhais, v.18, n.3, p. 01-24, 2025 jan. 2021 Fernanda Hänsch Beuren PhD in Production Engineering Institution: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina Address: São Bento do Sul – Santa Catarina, Brazil E-mail: [email protected] Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1338-9660 Caroline Rodrigues Vaz PhD in Production Engineering Institution: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina Address: Florianópolis – Santa Catarina, Brazil E-mail: [email protected] Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0378-2533 ABSTRACT This research presents an analysis of the potential and challenges of implementing reverse logistics for ‘batteries’ and ‘electronic devices’ in Santa Catarina Highlands. Shared management in Santa Catarina Highlands has been implemented through the Serra Catarinense Intermunicipal Consortium (CISAMA), with the implementation of ecopoints in the municipalities, which aim to receive not only this Reverse Logistics (RL) waste but also other recyclable waste. The Santa Catarina Environmental Institute (IMA), through the “I think, therefore I destiny” program, seeks to make the RL of this waste viable in conjunction with the city governments. In this sense, through a cooperation agreement, eleven municipalities in the mountainous region signed an agreement in 2022. As the main results of this research – through the application of a SWOT matrix considering Santa Catarina Highlands as an internal environment, and the State/Country as an external environment – peculiar characteristics of the researched region could be identified, due to the municipalities having less than ten thousand inhabitants, as well as other factors that hinder the implementation of the aforementioned program, such as the lack of professional qualification of civil servants, the need for greater supervision, as well as raising awareness among the population, thus covering cultural, geographic and demographic issues, in addition to administrative aspects. Keywords: reverse logistics, batteries, electronics, SWOT matrix, Santa Catarina Highlands. RESUMO Esta pesquisa apresenta uma análise das potencialidades e desafios da implantação da logística reversa para ‘pilhas e baterias’ e ‘eletroeletrônicos’ na Serra Catarinense. A gestão compartilhada na Serra Catarinense vem sendo implementada através do Consórcio Intermunicipal da Serra Catarinense (CISAMA), com a implantação de ecopontos nos municípios, que visam receber não somente esses resíduos de Logística Reversa (LR) mas também demais resíduos recicláveis. O Instituto do Meio Ambiente de Santa Catarina (IMA), através do programa “Penso, Logo Destino” busca viabilizar a LR desses resíduos em conjunto com as prefeituras. Nesse sentido, através de termo de cooperação, na região serrana onze municípios assinaram um acordo no ano de 2022. Como principais resultados desta pesquisa – por meio da aplicação de uma matriz SWOT considerando a Serra Catarinense com ambiente interno, e o Estado/País como ambiente externo – puderam ser identificadas características peculiares da região pesquisada, devido os municípios possuírem menos de dez mil habitantes, bem como outros fatores dificultadores à 3 Contribuciones a Las Ciencias Sociales, São José dos Pinhais, v.18, n.3, p. 01-24, 2025 jan. 2021 condução do referido programa, tais como a carência de qualificação profissional de servidores, necessidade de maior fiscalização, bem como a sensibilização da população, assim abarcando questões culturais, geográficas e demográficas, além de aspectos administrativos. Palavras-chave: logística reversa, pilhas e baterias, eletroeletrônicos, matriz SWOT, Serra Catarinense. RESUMEN Esta investigación presenta un análisis del potencial y los desafíos de la implementación de la logística inversa para ‘baterías’ y ‘electrónica’ en la Sierra Catarinense. La gestión compartida en la Sierra Catarinense se ha implementado a través del Consorcio Intermunicipal de la Sierra Catarinense (CISAMA), con la implementación de ecopuntos en los municipios, que tienen como objetivo recibir no sólo estos residuos de Logística Reversa (LR) sino también otros residuos reciclables. El Instituto Ambiental de Santa Catarina (IMA), a través del programa “Pienso, luego destino”, busca viabilizar el LR de estos residuos en conjunto con las alcaldías. En este sentido, a través de un convenio de cooperación, once municipios de la región serrana firmaron un acuerdo en 2022. Como principales resultados de esta investigación – mediante la aplicación de una matriz SWOT considerando la Sierra Catarinense como entorno interno, y el Estado/País como entorno externo – se pudieron identificar características peculiares de la región investigada, debido a que los municipios tienen menos de diez mil habitantes, así como otros factores que dificultan la implementación del mencionado programa, como la falta de cualificación profesional de los funcionarios públicos, la necesidad de mayor supervisión, así como la sensibilización de la población, abarcando así cuestiones culturales, geográficas y demográficas, además de aspectos administrativos. Palabras clave: logistica inversa, baterías, electrónica, matriz SWOT, Sierra Catarinense. 1 INTRODUCTION The implementation of Reverse Logistics Systems (RLS) in Brazil has been growing since the publication of Law No. 12305/2010, the National Policy on Solid Waste (PNRS), which established shared responsibility for the life cycle of products. For this, there are Sector Agreements concluded between companies (largely manufacturers and suppliers) together with the Public Authorities, whether federal, state or municipal. However, although these agreements are promising, one of the greatest difficulties faced for the full operation of these systems is in the waste collection stage. In the Serra Catarinense, most municipalities have geographical and population characteristics that are hindering the process of collecting materials for Reverse Logistics (RL), since collection becomes feasible for RLS only from a certain volume of waste, which is not 4 Contribuciones a Las Ciencias Sociales, São José dos Pinhais, v.18, n.3, p. 01-24, 2025 jan. 2021 compatible with small populations and, in large part, rural. The Intermunicipal Consortium of Serra Catarinense (CISAMA), together with the Institute of the Environment of Santa Catarina (IMA) and the Municipalities, act to facilitate this collection in the region. For this, the experiences on successful cases in the implementation of SLR in Brazil and in the state of Santa Catarina are interesting, mainly linked to the so-called ecopoints, or Voluntary Delivery Points (PEVs), which are the places for voluntary delivery of waste by the population. Since ecopoint facilities are planned throughout the region, qualified to receive waste for LR of 'batteries and batteries' and 'electronics', which delimited the scope of this research. In view of the above, in addition to collecting data and information at the national, state and Serra Catarinense levels, regarding the operation of RL, the general objective of this research is to present an analysis of the potentialities and challenges of the implementation of reverse logistics for 'batteries and batteries' and 'electronics' in Serra Catarinense. For this, strengths, weaknesses, challenges and potentialities of this structuring of RL in the Region are identified and discussed, thus providing subsidies so that, at the beginning of the operation of the alleged ecopoints, they really act as facilitating agents, in order to implant and maintain functional the RL of waste in the Serra Catarinense. 2 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 2.1 REVERSE LOGISTICS CONCEPTS Allied to the exponential growth of the human population, is the increase in the volume of waste generated by the activities developed. According to Kaza et al., (2018), the volume of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) will increase from 2.01 billion tons (2018) to 3.40 billion tons by 2050. In addition to the increase in the amount of waste, there is an increase in the diversity and complexity of these, since technological advances are providing the availability of materials with increasingly diverse components in the market. Countries' concern with the management of MSW is allied to the development of new management technologies, which prioritize the treatment of such waste (Szigethy; Antenor, 2020). In Brazil, decades of discussion led to the promulgation of the National Solid Waste Policy (PNRS), which instituted Reverse Logistics (LR) as an instrument to improve this management 5 Contribuciones a Las Ciencias Sociales, São José dos Pinhais, v.18, n.3, p. 01-24, 2025 jan. 2021 in the national territory. Currently, there are twelve Reverse Logistics Systems (RLS) implemented in Brazil, with Sector Agreements signed only in RLS originated after the advent of Law 12,305 / 2010 (Sinir, 2025). Among the SLRs in operation in Brazil are the groups of 'batteries and batteries' and 'waste electrical and electronic equipment and its components' (WEEE), which are the focus of this article. According to Sinnecker (2007), LR is a complementary function of traditional logistics, functioning as a channel that allows the return of waste to the origin of products, integrating its life cycle. 2.2 LAW 12.305/2010 In Brazil, the National Policy on Solid Waste (PNRS) was established in 2010, after a long period of discussions and reviews. This policy brings in its wording some basic instruments and principles, in order to support subsequent actions and guide citizens. Chapter III, Art. 8 establishes reverse logistics and selective collection as its instruments, in addition to encouraging the consortium management of solid waste in the national territory. In Chapter II, Art. 6, eleven principles are listed (Brazil, 2010). Among all, the principles of cooperation and shared responsibility are considered the most relevant for the present study. 2.2.1 Principle of cooperation Principle VI establishes cooperation, which must be carried out between the public and private spheres and society in general. According to Pereira Neto (2011), the intention with the institution of this principle was to reinforce the need for solidarity between the powers and civil society. The author also mentions that this means that responsibility for the management of all waste generated should be distributed among the parties that carry out its management. 2.2.2 Principle of shared responsibility Principle VII provides for shared responsibility with regard to the life cycle of products, being the first step towards the implementation of reverse logistics and sectoral agreements. 6 Contribuciones a Las Ciencias Sociales, São José dos Pinhais, v.18, n.3, p. 01-24, 2025 jan. 2021 According to Art. 3 of the PNRS, the product life cycle comprises the entire chain, from the removal of raw material from nature, its processing, to consumption and its final destination. Thus, it can be concluded that all citizens and companies hold a certain degree of responsibility for the environmentally sound disposal of all products they sell and consume. 2.3 DECREE 10 240 Decree No. 10,240, of February 12, 2020, regulated the reverse logistics system for WEEE in Brazil (Brazil, 2020). Where the structuring of the RL project of WEEE is foreseen in two main phases. According to Palhares et al. (2021), although recent, the phases are well advanced, and there is, published in 2019, the Sectoral Agreement between the Union and companies in this branch, which provides for cooperation between the parties to carry out the LR of their products marketed in the national territory (Brazil, 2019). 2.4 BATTERIES AND WASTE ELECTRONICS With the rapid growth of the population, in addition to the Third Industrial Revolution, which brought electronics products as protagonists of technological evolution, there is a growing problem of the disposal of waste from these products. According to NBR 10.004 (Abnt, 2004), waste electrical accumulators are classified as hazardous waste, that is, Class I. Its environmentally correct final destination must occur in landfills destined to these specific types of waste. Conte (2016) states that there is a wide variety of batteries marketed in Brazil. Each model is used for one type of equipment. Still, each type of battery and battery, when discarded, is capable of causing a type of negative impact on health and the environment. In a study by Silva et al. (2011), the authors carried out a survey on the composition of batteries marketed in Brazil in the last decades, it was evidenced that until the beginning of the 1990s there was no express concern with the limits allowed for heavy metals in batteries - especially mercury (Hg). After years of discussions, CONAMA Resolution 257/1999 was approved, which regulated the maximum permitted levels for Hg, Cadmium (Cd) and Lead (Pb). However, in the 2000s new speculation about further lowering the limits began. Thus, CONAMA Resolution 401/2008 7 Contribuciones a Las Ciencias Sociales, São José dos Pinhais, v.18, n.3, p. 01-24, 2025 jan. 2021 (Conama, 2008) was published in 2008, which revoked the previous one and further limited the presence of the above substances in batteries marketed throughout the national territory. In addition to establishing shared responsibility and the obligation of consumers to take waste to collection points of the system (Goeldner et al., 2020). However, Zhou et al. (2023) point out that there are other compounds that are used as anodes, especially in cells, such as bismuth (BI), antimony (Sb) and zinc (Zn). The nonregulation of these other compounds and the existence of a large amount of imported batteries in trade in the country, are factors that hinder the RL process and environmentally appropriate destination. Just like batteries, there are a multitude of types and compositions of electronics components, which have been growing exponentially in recent years. According to SINIR (2025) the different compositions of this material can cause different negative impacts (on the environment and human health) associated. The main impacts are related to the presence of heavy metals in these components, which can pollute soil and water and cause health problems. 2.5 NATIONAL SECTORAL AGREEMENTS AND MANAGING BODIES CONAMA Resolution 401/2008 (Conama, 2008) states that all manufacturers and traders of ‘batteries and batteries’ must enable the LR of their products through the provision of voluntary delivery points (PEVs). There is no Sectoral Agreement agreed for the RL of these wastes in Brazil, since this RLS was established before the PNRS, and remains so to date (Sinir, 2025). The LR of ‘electronics products and their components’ is regulated by Decree No. 10,240, in addition to the Sector Agreement signed between the Union and the companies in the field, in 2019. This sectoral agreement follows the precepts of PNRS and provides for the use of the principle of shared responsibility for the product life cycle, which defines two phases for the implementation of SLR, which is the responsibility of manufacturers and importers, through the Brazilian Association of Electrical and Electronic Industry (ABINEE). According to Conte (2016), the manufacturers that make up a SLR tend to develop increasingly improved techniques for recycling and recovery of components, conferring environmental gain when implementing the Sectoral Agreements and accountability of the parties, since natural resources are saved in 8 Contribuciones a Las Ciencias Sociales, São José dos Pinhais, v.18, n.3, p. 01-24, 2025 jan. 2021 the form of raw material, in addition to there being adequate disposal of hazardous waste generated by these materials. The WEEE management entities operating today in Brazil are: ‘Green Electron’ and the ‘Brazilian Association of Recycling of Electronics and Household Appliances (ABREE), aiming to direct the actions and enable the suitability to Law 12.305 / 2010 (Abree, 2025; Green Electron, 2025). 2.5.1 Green Electron According to the company itself, its foundation took place in 2016, through the Brazilian Association of the Electrical and Electronic Industry (ABINEE), due to the growing demand for the implementation of a real RL program in Brazil. Today, the social framework of Green Electron has associated and non-associated companies, with the objective of operationalizing the LR system and making it more efficient and economical (Green Electron, 2025). The entity is responsible for the RL of batteries, batteries and WEEE. The last annual performance report of Green Electron published in SINIR, referring to the year 2021, found that the entity is in compliance with Law 12.305/2010, and the report was approved with reservations, due to the Communication Plan not reaching the expected (Sinir, 2025). 2.5.2 ABREE The Brazilian Association of Recycling of Electronics and Home Appliances (ABREE) was founded in 2011 and was, until the foundation of Green Electron, the only managing entity for WEEE in Brazil. In 2021, in a report published in SINIR (2025), the company did not reach the targets established with respect to the amount of waste collected at its collection points, so the government considered that the entity is in disagreement with Law 12,305 / 2010, the report being approved with reservations, also referring to the Communication Plan. 2.6 BRAZILIAN OVERVIEW In a study by Goeldner et al. (2020), the authors highlight the situation of the SLR of 9 Contribuciones a Las Ciencias Sociales, São José dos Pinhais, v.18, n.3, p. 01-24, 2025 jan. 2021 'batteries and batteries' in Brazil, presenting the most common steps in the collection, separation and recycling process, in addition to the responsibility of manufacturers and suppliers. This study also points out a disadvantage of the RL process of batteries in relation to others, such as tires, which is the unavailability of a "reward" for the allocation of batteries to collection points, in addition to not setting clear numerical targets. Mendes, Ruiz and Faria (2016), conclude that the main obstacle to the full operation of the battery and battery LR program is the inertia of the Brazilian Government in relation to the import of these materials, causing a lack of accountability of these manufacturers, in addition to making materials available on the market with concentrations of substances above that allowed by CONAMA Resolution No. 401/2008. A very interesting case study is that of Resch, Matheus and Ferreira (2012), which provides information on ecopoints installed in the City of São Paulo, dealing with the implementation of collection points distributed regularly throughout the territory, being managed by the subprefectures. In this study, the authors show that the main challenges for the collection phase of the RL process are related to factors of 'environmental education' and 'functioning of the ecopoints', especially with regard to the operating hours and the way in which the waste is received. It is concluded that, in general, in Brazil, the operation of RL processes face administrative barriers, with regard to tax incentives, in addition to inspection of the various constituent stages of the process, as well as social barriers, such as the absence of environmental education practices and awareness of individuals, with regard to the ability of society to contribute to the collection stage of this waste; leading to the understanding that the Government and the Management Entities still sin by not acting with more emphasis in the social area, sensitizing consumers to collaborate by exercising the fulfillment of their responsibility in the disposal of their waste. 2.7 SANTA CATARINA – STATE PLAN FOR SOLID WASTE The State of Santa Catarina released the State Solid Waste Plan (PERS) in 2018. The PERS was elaborated with the objective of directing the actions of waste management in Santa Catarina territory; throughout the report the actions for RL in Santa Catarina are foreseen. The diagnosis was carried out through research in the IMA systems, in the Municipal 16 Contribuciones a Las Ciencias Sociales, São José dos Pinhais, v.18, n.3, p. 01-24, 2025 jan. 2021 Table 1. Population of each Municipality, ordered from lowest to highest Municipality Population in the year 2022 Panel 2215 Rufino River 2397 Palm tree 2561 Capão Alto 2625 Urupema 2656 Black Hill 3317 South Bocaine 3515 Bom Jardim da Serra 4026 High Bridge 4437 Campo Belo do Sul 7257 Anita Garibaldi 8285 Bom Retiro 8418 São José do Cerrito 8708 Urubici 10834 Correia Pinto 15727 Otacilius Costa 17312 Saint Joachim 25939 Source: Adapted from IBGE (2025) Figure 3. Population in the Serra de Santa Catarina. Source: Adapted from IBGE (2025) In municipalities with a population below 5,000 inhabitants, it is estimated that the per capita generation of batteries, batteries and REE is not large enough, making it difficult for manufacturers or those responsible for this stage of the cycle, who usually carry out the collection route only from a certain amount made available. Therefore, this "insufficient" amount of waste generated was listed as one of the weaknesses of the SLR in the Serra. This weakness will be worked by CISAMA through the 17 Contribuciones a Las Ciencias Sociales, São José dos Pinhais, v.18, n.3, p. 01-24, 2025 jan. 2021 installation of ecopoints in each of the Cities, allowing a greater amount of waste to be absorbed in centralized collection and storage, seeking to make the LR process of these materials in the region viable. Another weakness associated with RLS in the Serra Catarinense is the low adherence of the population to existing systems, such as the IMA program "Penso, Logo Destino", whose implementation suffers remarkable difficulties in adhering to the population. This may be associated with the other two weaknesses listed: the low level of education of these populations and the absence of more effective environmental education policies in the territories. In addition, it is necessary to have a greater presence of trained professionals in the environmental area of the municipalities, and this area is usually inserted within the Secretariats of Agriculture. 5.3 OPPORTUNITIES The opportunities of the system were listed seeking to offer subsidy for the entities and the public power to act in the effective development of LR in the region. Thus, there is the possibility of strengthening the relationship between the municipalities and the IMA, seeking to implement more effectively the "Penso, Logo Destino" program and through this partnership, establish actions that implement / strengthen environmental education and awareness of the population. An opportunity that should be explored by the Municipalities is the hiring of more technically specialized personnel in the environmental area, aiming to carry out the functions of design, coordination and supervision of these RL programs in the Municipalities. This action can facilitate the operation of the ecopoints, since decentralized management with the support of CISAMA should be the best form of waste management, facilitating the IMA to implement the actions when in contact with technical officials with broad mastery of the subject. 5.4 THREATS The threats were listed by observing the experiences obtained during the conduct of the present study, as well as possible threats pointed out in the bibliographic review. Thus, it was 18 Contribuciones a Las Ciencias Sociales, São José dos Pinhais, v.18, n.3, p. 01-24, 2025 jan. 2021 decided to show that one of the threats to the correct functioning of RL is the performance of public agents, whose roles are fundamental for a good progress of the programs. The second threat listed was the lack of monitoring of the progress of the programs. The inspection is a crucial step for the evaluation of how the program is developing and what improvements will be needed in the next actions. In the cooperation agreements, the IMA servers are responsible for evaluating this continuous improvement, together with the coordinators of each Municipality. It was not possible to observe if these actions have been carried out periodically, given the lack of return of the communication attempts made. The last two threats listed are more related to the operation of the ecopoints: the initial conception of CISAMA is that a cooperative collector is responsible for operating the ecopoints, performing the reception and allocation of waste in commercial hours, that is, the operation of these voluntary delivery points will depend on the availability of a cooperative collector to be there. Noting that not all cities in the region have a large number of collectors, this can be a difficulty faced for the full operation of the ecopoints. Again, there is a strong link between the difficulties and opportunities, as this is a gap of opportunity to improve relations between City Halls, the State, CISAMA and public agencies in general, in the capture and training of these personnel. In view of the difficulties encountered in some cases, there may be difficulty in the operation, in the adhesion of this cooperative, in addition to the time, which will be commercial, and may be a limiting factor of the adherence of the population to take their waste to the ecopoint. In addition, CISAMA installs the ecopoints on land donated by the Prefectures, which often configures a distance from the centers and a factor that also hinders the adherence of the population. As an example, we have the ecopoints of two randomly chosen cities, which are already installed. The locations can be seen in Figure 4. 19 Contribuciones a Las Ciencias Sociales, São José dos Pinhais, v.18, n.3, p. 01-24, 2025 jan. 2021 Figure 2. Location of two ecopoints in Serra Catarinense Source: Prepared by the authors. Observing Figure 4, it is clear the threat of the location of the ecopoints in relation to the 20 Contribuciones a Las Ciencias Sociales, São José dos Pinhais, v.18, n.3, p. 01-24, 2025 jan. 2021 fullness of their operation. In the case of City A, the land donated to CISAMA by the City Hall for the allocation of the project is located in the final portion of the city, in an area with little circulation of people and that is not easily visible to residents. Thus, in the operation of these ecopoints, dissemination actions will be necessary to make residents move to this point to deposit their waste. Already observing the location of the ecopoint of City B, it is observed that this is in an extremely privileged location, being in the center of the City, right next to the City Hall, with easy visualization and easy access for all who pass there. In this case, the operation of these ecopoints will tend not to present the challenge mentioned above for the operation of the ecopoint A, since, when allocated in a place of easy visualization and access, citizens tend to create the habit of depositing the waste at this point, mainly because they do not need a deviation from their daily route so significant. Thus, it is possible to observe an intertwining between the difficulties and the facilitators of the operation of these ecopoints, a small urban territory will not always represent an ease in the operation of the ecopoint if there is no well-developed strategy from the moment of its conception. 6 FINAL CONSIDERATIONS This research presented an analysis of the potentialities and challenges of the implementation of reverse logistics for 'batteries' and 'electronics' in the Serra Catarinense. Considering the content addressed in the present research, it can be concluded that the implementation of Reverse Logistics Systems in the Serra Catarinense faces problems related to geography, demography and culture of the population, as well as aspects related to administration. It was observed a relationship between the strengths and weaknesses of the Reverse Logistics System in the Serra Catarinense, demonstrating the great importance of planning and partnership between Municipalities and CISAMA from the conception of the ecopoints project, through its execution and the care in their operation, thus providing the possibility of effectively becoming consolidated voluntary delivery points. By addressing potential strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, this study 21 Contribuciones a Las Ciencias Sociales, São José dos Pinhais, v.18, n.3, p. 01-24, 2025 jan. 2021 sought to provide subsidies for CISAMA to trace more assertive strategies when operating its ecopoints, leading them to act as facilitators and facilitators of the operation of Reverse Logistics in the Serra Catarinense, thus contributing to the best adaptation of the municipalities associated with the National Solid Waste Policy and, consequently, to the improvement of the environmental quality of the region. In a complementary way, it is worth pointing out a difficulty experienced during the execution of this study, in the alleged data collection through interviews with public agents involved in the Reverse Logistics process in the Serra Catarinense, which could not be executed, because there is not enough openness for the application of such procedure. For future research, it is suggested to follow the evolution of this theme in the Serra Catarinense, involving analyzes about the actions developed, the results achieved, as well as the visualization of opportunities for improvement and the elaboration of proposals from this. It is also worth congratulating the efforts of the public authorities and other participants and collaborators in order to make Reverse Logistics viable in the Serra Catarinense, even in the face of the adversities inherent in the region. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We are grateful for the financial support of the Foundation for Research and Innovation Support of the State of Santa Catarina - FAPESC and the State University of Santa Catarina - UDESC. 22 Contribuciones a Las Ciencias Sociales, São José dos Pinhais, v.18, n.3, p. 01-24, 2025 jan. 2021 REFERENCES ABNT. Associação Brasileira de Normas Técnicas. NBR 10004: Resíduos Sólidos - Classificação. Rio de Janeiro: ABNT, 2004. ABREE. 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