Recycling and Blockchain: Brasilia bars adopt intelligent Reverse Logistics

Even with expressive numbers, recycling in Brazil is still low – most capitals reuse only 3% of the waste, according to data from the Brazilian association of public Cleaning companies and special wastes (ABRELPE). Fortunately, there has been a tendency of companies that are responsible for the return of post-consumer packaging to the production cycle, such as the inciative of the startup Green Mining, which, in partnership with Ambev, has just inaugurated a collection HUB in Brasilia. Acting in reverse logistics efficiently through innovative technology, which allows to identify the sites of higher generation of post-consumer waste, mainly bottles of glass discarded by bars, the startup seeks the best balance for the Industry: Collect large amounts of recyclable, cost-efficient, guaranteeing respect to the workforce employed, empowering and hiring cooperates or street pickers who have already worked with recycling in an informal way. The official partner of the European Organization "Friends of Glass", Green Mining plays an important role in promoting the recycling of glass, one of the materials that takes longer to decompose in nature. The glass is 100% reusable, generates savings of natural resources and avoids a high energy expenditure and CO2 emission. "For us, it is a great satisfaction and pride to see that our project is expanding across the country. With HUBs in São Paulo, and now in Brasilia, we have reached more than 300 tons of recycled glass and more than 50 tons of CO2 avoided since the start of the action, "says Rodrigo Oliveira, president of Green Mining. The action is the result of the first edition of the Global program 100 + Accelerator, of the brewery Ambev, which in 2018 selected 21 startups on all continents to solve urgent world issues in sustainability punctuated by the company. "The challenge launched by Ambev to seek solutions to industry problems, through startups, to close the cycle of circular economy in packaging, was a great opportunity. Our technology allows the traceability of all packages collected in urban centers safely by means of blockchain. Collectors, HUBs, conveyors and recycling plants validate each other's quantities, not allowing recycled material numbers to be created or falsified, "explains Rodrigo. "As we carry out the collection, we can not only atuse the quantities, but also ensure that no child or informal manpower has been used, since all our collectors have a signed wallet." With the mapping ready, the uniformed and committed collectors withdraw and deposit the content in large buckets. When filled, these are taken directly to the glass factory of the brewery, located in Rio de Janeiro, returning the material to the company's production chain. There are 22 establishments in the Federal district that participate in the project, among them: Banco de Brasília Athletic Association; Blessed Bar and restaurant; Bar meeting of Friends; Skima Bar; STJ's Servers Club; Fasto and Manuel Restaurante; Gelart Distribuidora; Island kitchen Bar; Nazo Sushi Bar; Pesque pay Taguatinga; First Bar kitchen; Mr. Boteco; Yes no time; Geranium site; Staleiro Bar and Snooker; Beer Bear; Villa Carioca Steak Grill & Petiscaria. In addition, Green Mining collected 100% of the glass of the Hidden project, the traditional cultural and gastronomic event of the capital. The Green Mining estimate is to inaugurate, by the end of 2019, another 20 HUBs across the country.