São Paulo – The ports of Paranaguá and Antonina have started obeying reverse logistics principles, according to the National Solid Residue Law. This means that products like pesticides (their residues and packages), batteries, tyres, lubricants, florescent lamps and electronic products will have to be returned to their suppliers after use.
The law, sanctioned in August 2010 and regulated in December last year, is being implemented this year and Paranaguá Port is one of the pioneers in complying with the demand. Reverse logistics is a set of actions and procedures that make possible the collection and restitution of solid residues to the business sectors for reuse in other productive cycles.
Figures supplied by the Ministry of Environment show that between 30% and 37% of all garbage collected in Brazil is dry residue, which could be reused, and 55% is wet residue, including organic material. Only 8% to 10% is made up of highly unusable rejects.
*Translated by Mark Ament
