This article makes a comparative analysis of the subject of solid waste in printed didactic resources (textbooks, children's books and magazine articles) addressed to or possible of being understood by students of Elementary school. The focus of the analysis is given to the nature of the knowledge about solid waste present in the texts. We discuss the problem of amount of garbage, recycling proposed as the main solution to this problem, the concept of decaying of materials and some mistakes and absences found in the texts. We identified problems related to the nature of knowledge or absences in the three types of texts. This analysis may contribute to enhance a more critical perspective for educators involved with environmental education and particularly with the subject of solid waste, when selecting didactic resources or implementing educational programs.
envrionmental education; solid waste; recycling