The Regional Labor Court of the 2nd Region in Brazil has mandated that approximately 400 employees of Renova Suzano Ambiental receive their January salaries. This ruling comes after the local government deposited the owed funds into court, enabling direct transfer to the workers’ accounts and those entitled to child support. The situation arose when the company halted waste collection services, leading to significant refuse accumulation in various neighborhoods of Suzano.

The crisis began on February 5, when Renova stopped its garbage collection and urban cleaning services, prompting workers to strike due to unpaid wages and lost labor rights. In response to the accumulating waste and public health risks, the City of Suzano declared a state of environmental and sanitary emergency, leading to a fiscal intervention in the company’s operations. Following these events, waste collection resumed on February 10 through the emergency hiring of a different service provider.

This situation highlights the essential role of local authorities in managing public health and environmental standards, especially when private companies fail to meet their obligations. The intervention by the City underscores the potential consequences of service failures and the legal protections available to workers in Brazil, emphasizing the ongoing challenges within labor relations in the environmental services sector of Brazilian municipalities.