Reverse logistics to stimulate packaging recycling

Brazil generates about 78.4 million tons of solid waste per year and 70% of municipalities have some kind of collective collection. However, public cleaning services cannot cover even half of the waste produced. The result of incorrect disposal of products that have recycling potential creates damage to the environment and human health.
Much has been discussed to indicate solutions capable of reducing waste generated by packaging, framing the sector in the requirements of the National Solid Waste Policy (PNRS). We have as an example of effective action the Prolata, association created by Abeaço, with the focus on the correct disposal of steel cans for recycling.
Prolata was the first managing entity for reverse packaging logistics recognized by the Ministry of the Environment. In addition to having almost 40 Voluntary Delivery Points (PEVs) throughout the country, Prolata mobilizes today more than 50 cooperatives of waste pickers and waste pickers of recyclable materials, has 6 partner warehouses and 1 own receiving center for large volumes.
Since the foundation of the association in 2012, almost 33,000 tons of steel have been collected and recycled.
Prolata's goal is to create conditions for the steel can recycling chain to be completed, involving can manufacturers, product manufacturers, cooperatives, the final consumer and the steel industry. Today, 100% of the packages collected by Prolata are recycled by a single partner steel mill. But the initiative seeks more partnerships in the steel industry.
The recycling model established by Prolata was inspired by the cases of Sweden and Switzerland, successful countries not only in their recycling rates, which reach 82% in the case of steel cans, but also in the established models, which generate efficiency and provide for the sharing of responsibility among all links in the chain.
The recycling model that Prolata is adopting in Brazil was established after a rigorous benchmark work in European countries.
Although Germany, for example, recycles 96% of the post-consumer cans, the model adopted is based on an extremely expensive reverse logistics standard, managed by profitable companies.
In Sweden, on the other hand, a system has been established in which the production chain has to create conditions for consumers to deposit their packaging voluntarily, already separating them by category, which gives efficiency to the system and reduces the cost. Moreover, in Sweden the manager has no profitable purpose.
However, actions like this will not be possible if we do not motivate the consumer to collaborate. Many consumers purchase products packaged in materials that are not recyclable. It is essential for consumers to understand that bringing products packaged in recyclable and recycled materials in fact, such as steel, is an economy for society as a whole.
-Fagury Thais