Brazil loses more than 10 billion dollars yearly in disposing of solid waste in dumps and landfills that contaminate water sources and soils. The transport of waste to distant landfills represents “two-thirds of the total cost of solid waste disposal,” United Nations consultant Salbetai Calderoni told Tierramérica, based on a study of Brazil's garbage.

Other costs result from environmental impacts and in materials lost in failure to recycle. The total sum “would allow all Brazilian families to buy the basic monthly food basket,” estimated Calderoni.

Through integrated municipal recycling centers, Brazil could prevent waste of 200,000 tons of garbage daily from the homes of the 190 million Brazilians, to which can be added the 300,000 tons from construction, he said.