About 80% of the marine litter present in coastal environments is the result of anthropogenic activities undertaken on land. Solid waste sorting and recycling plays an important role in the waste management chain, as well in society's effort to solve the marine litter problem. When recyclable waste collection fails, its destination is jeopardized and the chances of it being transported through watersheds to the ocean increases, especially under conditions of high rainfall and wind. This study aimed to qualitatively analyse the recyclable waste collection of three municipalities in the Patos Lagoon complex - RS (Porto Alegre, Pelotas, and Rio Grande) that are relevant in terms of population and economy. Data on recyclable waste collection coverage and efficiency were obtained from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), using waste sorting sustainability indicators (Fechine & Moraes 2015), and a SWOT matrix where we highlight strong and weak points in each city. The state capital, Porto Alegre, presented the most efficient selective collection, but far from ideal; Rio Grande presented the greatest weaknesses, related to the lack of public policies and investment in infrastructure, a situation explained, in part, by the exogenous development of the municipality and multiple coastal zone uses. This result corroborates with data from a local marine litter project (Projeto Lixo Marinho), which found 60% of land-based material at Cassino Beach, Rio Grande. Much of the litter found on the beach could have entered the recycling chain but lost its value upon entering the beach environment. Recyclable waste collection efficiency can be considered an indicator for monitoring land-based marine debris. However, even if recyclable waste collection covers the entire municipal demand, popular participation, reverse logistics initiatives, and shared responsibility are essential for the reduction of marine litter in coastal cities and adjacent bodies of water.