Recycling means going further
The recycling issue has been at the forefront this month, with reflections on the importance of properly disposing items that are consumed. Recycling means transforming materials that are at the end of their useful life into new products. It's a need that has gained quite a bit of significance over the last few years considering the increasing population, climate change and the accumulation of waste around the world. Doing this will help decrease the extraction of raw materials and CO2 emissions, saving water/energy and reducing the amount of waste in the environment, while also helping to create a source of income for cooperatives and plastic recyclers.
Brazil is one of the nations that produces the most, but it's also near the bottom when it comes to recycling solid waste. With a population of over 210 million inhabitants, each person in our country produces an average of 343 kilos of waste per year: a total of 80 million tons. If all this waste was reused or recycled, this figure would not be as impactful. According to data from MaxiQuim's 5th Annual Survey of the Plastic Recycling Index in Brazil, plastic recycling in the country stands at around 25.6%.
This is a situation that needs to improve as soon as possible. For example, in its circular economy growth avenue, Braskem's goal is to boost sales of products with recycled content to 1 million tons by 2030. And the petrochemical company has taken relevant steps through its Wenew ecosystem, a brand that includes products, technologies and circular initiatives.
Braskem's recycling avenue is subject to a number of global industry challenges, including the development of the recycling chain, technological innovation and encouraging demand. As far as the production chain is concerned, plastic waste needs to be returned to the cycle, which is very dependent on a well-established collection, sorting and recycling structure. There is also a need to make progress on chemical recycling when developing new technologies, because it helps to increase the recyclability of various types of products and packaging.
But the fact is that plastic recycling has positive impacts related to mitigating carbon emissions. Having a commitment to this means investing in sustainability and the circular economy. We also realize that we need to develop technologies for intelligent recycling that can, for example, separate and classify waste accurately. This is all on the side
of the industry.
But the general public also to needs to get involved by properly separating any products they use, while the government should adopt public policies that encourage suitable disposal, manage waste, encourage innovation and include recycled content in products. Considering that waste only goes where it's disposed of, there needs to be joint responsibility. Only by working together can companies, society, government and non-governmental entities change the current reality and help create a better future for our planet.
Fabiana Quiroga Garbin is an executive with over 23 years of experience in the petrochemical industry. She took over the management of Braskem's Circular Economy business in South America in 2017 with the goal of leading the company's global Circular Economy strategy. Fabiana is the CEO of Plastivida, a non-profit organization, and holds a law degree from Faculdade de Direito de São Bernardo do Campo and a graduate degree in Labor and Contract Law from PUC/SP and an MBA in Strategic Management from FGV. She is also a participant in the Advanced Boardroom Program for Women - ABP-W of Saint Paul Escola de Negócios.
