Logística reversa de embalagens em geral pós-consumo: panorama atual e análise da implementação dos sistemas no Brasil

Abstract

Federal Law 12.305 / 2010 (National Solid Waste Policy - PNRS) is a milestone in solid waste management in Brazil and establishes Reverse Logistics (LR) as a social and economic instrument for the return of waste to industry, in order to reduce environmental impacts and to include recyclable material scavengers. Five years later, the Sectorial Packaging Agreement in General was signed, which established targets for reducing packaging in general post-consumption for landfills. In Brazil, about 47% of glass containers are recovered annually, 81.3% of brown shavings and 7% of cardboard shavings, 57.1% of PET and 98.3% of aluminum. Based on the principle of Shared Responsibility, the companies responsible for the recovery of packaging have organized themselves into associations and coalitions so that an institution legally represents them and operates the Reverse Logistics System in its place. This system is based on the use of Voluntary Delivery Points (VDP), a place where consumers make recyclable material available to a waste pickers' cooperative, the ton of this material is sold to a recycler and finally returns to the industry. In addition to this form of implantation of the LR There are other ways for a manufacturer, importer or trader of packaging to comply with the legislation, through the implementation of the Reverse Logistics System individually and independently or through the purchase of Reverse Logistics Credits. In the year that PNRS celebrates its 10th anniversary, it can be noted that Reverse Packaging Logistics has made little progress and that despite the goals having been achieved, most packaging still receives an improper destination. In this scenario, discussions on the theme emerged and a proposal for a Term of Commitment for Packaging in General and a Term of Commitment for Aluminum Cans were presented to the public prosecutor and placed in public consultation. It is possible to perceive from the proposed Terms a disruption between the signatory companies due to their departure from the “Coalizão Embalagens” and an attempt to divide the responsibility of the industries in the other actors of the LR. In addition, it is evident the inequality between the sectors, that because they work with different materials, with different costs and operations, do not recover the same percentage of packaging. Therefore, in order to overcome economic, operational and social barriers, stricter goals must be established considering each waste stream, industries must increase the recyclability of their products, increase the number of installed VDPs, pay for the service provided by material pickers recyclable and make information about LR available to consumers and invest in environmental education.