Brazilian waste pickers participated in torch relay and provided services at the 2016 Olympics

Brazilian waste pickers affiliated with the National Movement of Waste Pickers in Brazil participated in the torch relay in this year’s Olympics. Waste picker leaders Custódio Chaves, of Rio, Roseleide Nascimento, of Rio Grande do Norte, Roberto Laureano, of São Paulo, and Jeane dos Santos, of Bahia, participated in the ceremony. Other waste picker leaders – Maria do Carmo Cantilho, Claudete da Costa, and Severino Lima – participated in the torch relay in their own states. The participation of waste pickers in the torch relay represents the recognition of the importance of these workers in our society. Besides taking part in this ceremony, the waste pickers were also providing recycling services in the stadiums and Olympic installations in the cities of São Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Salvador, and Manaus. The goal is to strengthen public policies and institutionalize a legacy of sustainability in Brazil.