One of the key issues regarding social policies in Brazil is the one related to universal access to basic sanitation with quality, equity and continuity. The universalization of basic sanitation has been assumed as a commitment of the whole Brazilian society and it is an institutional reform effort involving governments, service providers, industry, financial agents and society through their organizations and channels of participation. By basic sanitation, it is meant the set of services, infrastructure and operational facilities regarding drinking water supply, sewage, solid waste management and urban sanitation, management of urban stormwater and drainage. This issue gains more prominence each day, due to its social impact and the growing concern about quality of life, health, and the environment. The theme and the steps involved in solid waste management are included and defined in Law nº 11.455/07, which established the national guidelines for the basic sanitation federal policy. This law also brought an essential instrument for the implementation of the National Sanitation Plan policy [Plano Nacional de Saneamento Básico], with the preparation of the respective Municipal and/or Regional Plans for Basic Sanitation. It also considers solid waste management as a set of activities, infrastructure and operating facilities for collection, transportation, transfer, treatment and final disposal of household refuse and garbage originated from the sweeping and cleaning of public areas and public roads. The irresponsible treatment and disposal of such waste pave the way for the deteriorating quality of life and health of the population. Among the various alternatives for solid waste treatments, recycling is the most friendly and more attractive to the public and media in general, especially for its strong environmental and educational appeals.