HEALTH CONDITIONS OF MEMBERS IN AN URBAN WASTE RECYCLING COOPERATIVE: DIAGNOSIS AND INTERVENTION PROPOSALS – CASE STUDY

Abstract

This study analyzes the health conditions of solid waste pickers from a recycling cooperative located on the outskirts of Guarulhos, founded in 2015, from the perspective of social determinants of health and social vulnerability. This is a descriptive-exploratory study with a mixed-methods approach (quantitative and qualitative), conducted with 20 cooperative workers and management staff. The sociodemographic profile revealed a predominance of women (70%), low educational level (100% with elementary education), income of up to one minimum wage in 80% of cases, and access to the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) in 90% of participants. The occupational analysis showed that 40% of workers never use personal protective equipment (PPE), and 80% reported musculoskeletal pain resulting from intense physical effort, repetitive movements, and lifting loads. In the field of mental health, 100% of respondents reported symptoms of anxiety and depression, and all participants negatively evaluated their quality of life, indicating a generalized condition of psychological distress. Food insecurity affected 60% of participants to some degree, and 80% depend on social benefits for subsistence. Knowledge about public policies is limited (80% have little knowledge; 20% have none), and 80% consider these policies to be ineffective or only slightly effective. The economic analysis of the cooperative revealed an average monthly revenue of R$30,000.00, with the processing of 50 tons of recyclable materials per month. Qualitative data identified central categories: labor precariousness, need for institutional support, deficient worker health, social inclusion, and development perspectives. It is concluded that cooperative work, although representing an organizational advancement compared to informal individual labor, is insufficient to overcome the logic of precariousness and multidimensional vulnerability. The findings reinforce the urgent need for intersectoral public policies integrating health, labor, social assistance, and the environment, with a strategic role for nursing in promoting the health of this population.