São João de Meriti transforms illegal dump sites into green spaces

The municipality of São João de Meriti has launched the ‘Ciclovia não é Lixão’ (Cycle Path is Not a Dump) project to transform irregular waste disposal sites into green spaces. The initiative, led by the Municipal Secretariat of Environment, Climate Change, and Animal Welfare, focuses on reurbanizing and planting trees along the cycle path in the São Mateus neighborhood.

Local officials, including Vice-Mayor Letícia Costa, noted that the intervention aims to improve public health and environmental quality by combating pests and disease proliferation caused by accumulated trash. Secretary Antônio Marcos Barreto stated that the goal is to expand these actions to other critical areas in the city to promote sustainability and improve the quality of life for residents.