A lógica mercadotória do saneamento básico e seus impactos socioambientais na era da privatização

Abstract

This paper examines the socio-environmental impacts of the privatization of basic sanitation in Brazil, particularly in the aftermath of the New Legal Framework (Law No. 14,026/2020). It is grounded in the assumption that a profit-centered market logic tends to deepen social and territorial inequalities, excluding vulnerable populations from access to essential services. Drawing on a literature review, legislative analysis, and case studies, the study discusses how private management may compromise universal provision, environmental justice, and social oversight. In dialogue with authors such as Marx, Harvey, and Heller, the paper argues that sanitation constitutes a human right and a public good, whose realization requires strengthened public management, social participation, and a commitment to equity. The findings suggest that the ongoing expansion of commodification risks transforming sanitation into yet another instrument of exclusion.