Project Objectives

1. Overview

The primary objective of the Ecolink project is to promote recycling awareness and sustainable practices in the Federal District through a hybrid technological and social approach. This includes the development of an educational app integrated with smart EcoPoint containers and a gamified incentive system for university students. By combining content co-created with waste pickers and interactive tools, Ecolink aims to increase qualified recyclable collection, reduce contamination, and strengthen the circular economy.

2. General Objectives

The project seeks to achieve the following general goals:

Objective	Description
Raise environmental awareness	Create educational content with waste pickers and students to teach correct waste separation and pre-cleaning practices.
Implement EcoPoints	Deliver smart collection containers (EcoPoints) capable of monitoring and sorting recyclable waste efficiently.
Incentivize sustainable behavior	Introduce a gamified system where UnB students can earn university credits by contributing to the recycling process.
Empower waste picker cooperatives	Provide tools and a platform for waste pickers to share their expertise and increase the value of collected materials.
Ensure accessibility and usability	Build an intuitive, inclusive platform (app + CMS) for all stakeholders involved, from students to cooperative workers.

3. Specific Objectives

To meet the general objectives, the project will focus on the following specific tasks:

Educational Content & Community Engagement

Task	Description
Co-create content	Record and publish recycling tips, separation tutorials, and hygiene practices in partnership with waste pickers.
Content calendar	Plan regular publishing on social media and app sections with a structured schedule and content map.
Develop content guidelines	Create visual and text templates, tone/style guides, and scripts for consistency across media platforms.
Launch Instagram strategy	Maintain an official social media presence with at least one post per week and two marketing campaigns per month.

Technical Development (App + CMS)

Task	Description
Build educational section	App section that displays co-created videos, images, and explanations on recycling topics.
CMS integration	Enable waste pickers and students to manage content using a user-friendly CMS interface that supports text, image, and video formats.
Role-based access	Implement permissions for students, cooperative workers, and app users to ensure secure and relevant access to features.
Student area	Create a space in the app where students can register and track their contributions to receive academic credits.

EcoPoint & Recycling Infrastructure

Task	Description
Locate and map EcoPoints	Implement a feature that allows users to locate collection containers through an in-app map.
Research hardware partnerships	Identify and evaluate smart container solutions from at least 5 companies for potential partnership.
Document recycling workflows	Map the processes from disposal to collection, covering logistics, container interaction, and recycling stakeholder involvement.
Study hardware development options	Evaluate feasibility and costs for developing proprietary EcoPoint hardware for long-term independence.

4. Expected Outcomes

By the end of the project, we expect the following deliverables and outcomes:

Deliverable	Description
Educational content hub	App + CMS capable of displaying, managing, and updating multimedia educational content.
Functioning EcoPoints	Operational smart containers mapped across the UnB campus and other selected locations.
Student incentive system	System that records recycling activity and enables academic credit redemption.
Instagram and outreach	Social media presence that boosts awareness and increases participation through frequent, informative posts.
Process documentation	Complete mapping of recycling logistics and stakeholder roles, supporting future iterations and optimizations.

5. Long-Term Objectives

In the long term, the project aims to:

Objective	Description
Expand EcoPoints coverage	Install containers in more communities and academic settings across the Federal District.
Refine gamification	Improve and scale the credit incentive system to engage more universities and include broader sustainability challenges.
Promote data-driven decisions	Use app data to inform public policy and cooperative strategies around waste collection and environmental education.
Strengthen cooperatives	Provide increased autonomy and technical tools for waste picker cooperatives to manage and benefit from recyclable flows.

Revision History

Date	Author	Changes Made
2025-04-08	Mateus Vieira	Rewrote project objectives for Ecolink

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