A Sustentabilidade e gerenciamento de resíduos na formação em Estética e Cosmética

Abstract

The expansion of the Aesthetics and Cosmetics sector, which is part of the health field, has intensified the use of chemical products, disposable materials, and technologies that result in the continuous generation of waste, making sustainability and waste management central dimensions of professional practice. In this context, the present study aimed to analyze how sustainability and waste management are addressed in higher education in Aesthetics and Cosmetics. This is a qualitative study conducted at a Higher Education Institution located in the southern region of Minas Gerais, Brazil, which offers the Technology Degree in Aesthetics and Cosmetics in both on-site and distance learning modalities. The study involved 19 undergraduate students and graduates, whose data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The corpus was submitted to lexical analysis using the IRaMuTeQ software, through Descending Hierarchical Classification, and complemented by thematic Content Analysis, according to Bardin. The results indicate that sustainability and waste management are present in the educational process; however, they are addressed in a fragmented, predominantly technical, and normative manner, with a strong emphasis on biosafety and compliance with sanitary regulations. Weak articulation between theory and practice was observed, as well as limited problematization of the ethical, socio-environmental, and critical dimensions of professional practice. It is concluded that, although higher education in Aesthetics and Cosmetics includes relevant aspects related to biosafety and waste disposal, significant gaps remain in consolidating sustainability as a transversal curricular principle, highlighting the need for integrated pedagogical strategies that strengthen socio-environmental responsibility in professional training.

Keywords: Aesthetics and Cosmetics. Sustainability. Waste Management. Higher Education. Biosafety.