Resumo:
This study aimed to explore the relationship between solid waste, social class, and racial groups living in areas near the sanitary landfills of Belford Roxo and Seropédica, in Rio de Janeiro. The production and disposal model of solid waste is seen as harmful, presenting unequal distribution. The inequalities identified in the geographic space represent expressions such as "undesirable territories" and "disposable" individuals and places. The concept of Environmental Racism was addressed to highlight the environmental burden, that is, the negative environmental consequences disproportionately affecting social and racial groups. This research mapped the sanitary landfills in the Metropolitan Region of Rio de Janeiro (RMRJ), as well as identified inadequate final disposal sites, such as controlled landfills and open dumps. It also identified vulnerable groups from a social and environmental perspective around the still-existing Belford Roxo landfill, known as Babi. The study focused on exposing the environmental inequality these human groups are subjected to, along with the effects produced by the consumer society. The method used in this research was dialectical historical materialism, a method attentive to the many social inequalities. This method seeks to answer and identify social issues associated with the capitalist way of development, with Karl Marx as its main theorist. The methodology employed was based on bibliographic and documentary research, involving various authors specializing in topics such as environmental justice, environmental racism, sustainability, sustainable development, waste, and spatial production. The research also revealed some well-conducted actions and experiences aimed at inspiring us to chart and create more sustainable and fair paths for both the social groups involved and the environment.
