In 2022, the story of Projeto Reciclar sounded like the rhythmic “clack-clack” of cart wheels on pavement before dawn. We walked those streets with Eloi and Florentina Tavares, and their son, Daniel, watching them navigate the shadows of Montenegro to find what the rest of the city had cast aside. The family is part of an estimated 800,000 trash recyclers who collect 90% of Brazil’s used and discarded recyclables, playing a crucial public service role.
Ironically, the project was a collection of “new” things: new carts, crisp uniforms, and a brand-new ambition. The idea of an established cooperative with a shared roof, a legal identity, and a seat at the table was still a dream the recyclers carried in those carts.
Three years later, that dream has an address.
This month, the Estação Reciclar Cooperative officially opened its headquarters in the Estação neighborhood, marking a turning point for the recyclers and a historic milestone for both the neighborhood and entire municipality of Montenegro. The new headquarters will be crucial not only for strengthening the cooperative but also for improving solid waste management in the municipality.
The Estação Reciclar headquarters is the result of a partnership that began with a shared vision for long-term stability in the Estação neighborhood. We recognized that with the right training and support, the recyclers who lived there could formalize their expertise, moving from informal labor toward a structured, member-governed social enterprise.
What started as informal brainstorming sessions in borrowed spaces has transformed into a community-run powerhouse. Today, the impact of the cooperative reaches well beyond its members, benefiting more than 1,100 local residents, schools, and businesses through organized door-to-door collection.
What is a cooperative?
Cooperatives are member-owned organizations that operate for the benefit of their members. They’re built on seven core principles: democratic governance, member participation, autonomy, education, cooperation among co-ops, equity, and community concern. They help people build wealth collectively, share risks and resources, strengthen social safety nets, and build community leadership, especially for women, young people, and entrepreneurs. Learn more about our deep roots in the cooperative movement.
The Strength of a Shared Safety Net
For families like the Tavareses, the specialized knowledge required to sort and rescue materials remains the heart of their work, but their daily life has been transformed by the formalization of the cooperative. In the past, they raced to beat garbage trucks in the pre-dawn shadows; today, thanks to organized door-to-door collection, they work during the day with materials already separated for them by a supportive community.
The most significant change, however, is the safety net that now surrounds these families. With the establishment of the new headquarters, their work has moved out of cramped backyards and into a professional infrastructure built to manage 780 tons of material every year. Beyond the new equipment, the project has transformed a once-solitary and informal struggle into a structured collective, backed by a R$ 6.5 million ($1.24 million USD) investment that provides 28 member families — with room for up to 60 — the formal standing and resources they need to thrive together.
Montenegro has seen firsthand how environmental instability can upend a community, and this cooperative is a practical answer to that threat. By managing waste through a professional system and integrating the cooperative work into the circular economy, the city is ensuring that its most essential workers are no longer vulnerable, and the municipality is safer and more secure.
The Next Chapter
As the name implies, Projeto Reciclar is about the act of recycling, but it represents the validation of work that oftentimes goes unseen or underappreciated. None of this could be accomplished without the support of a coalition of partners like the John Deere Foundation, Sicredi Ouro Banco, Banco de Brasil Foundation, Baskrem and the Municipality of Montenegro.
The opening of the Estação Reciclar headquarters is both a finish line and a starting point. As we move into 2026, the focus now shifts to scaling this model, securing new machinery, and ensuring that the cooperative remains a permanent engine for growth.
Tomorrow morning, the carts will roll out again. Eloi will still prepare the vests, Florentina will still stir the coffee, and Daniel will still walk beside them. But this time, they aren’t rolling into the unknown, they are reporting to a headquarters of their own, backed by a cooperative strong enough to carry the weight of a brighter future.