With support from Suzano, a global benchmark in the manufacture of bioproducts developed from cultivated eucalyptus, the Association of Recyclable Material Collectors of Capão Bonito (ACAMAR, in Portuguese) achieved a high rate of selective waste collection in the town of Capão Bonito in 2023. The association recycled 120 tonnes of solid waste per month during the year, compared to an average of 90 tonnes in 2022—an increase of 30%. The town’s average recycling rate reached the mark of 13% of the waste selectively collected. In Brazil, this rate is 4% according to data from the Brazilian Association of Public Cleaning and Special Waste Companies (ABRELPE, in Portuguese).
One takeaway from COP 28 (Conference of the Parties on Climate Change), held this year in Dubai, was that initiatives such as waste recycling help reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions.
“For us, at Suzano, initiatives like these are very important for the economic development of the regions where we operate. Driven by our Culture Drive that says, ‘it’s only good for us if it’s good for the world’, we are proud to partner with organizations that develop activities that are essential for the preservation of the environment. By supporting sustainable activities that combine job creation with income generation and care for the planet, we are confident that we are contributing for the construction of a fairer and more sustainable society,” said Adriano Silva Martins, a Social Development consultant at Suzano.
Suzano’s support for ACAMAR reflects the company’s Commitments to Renewing Life, a set of 15 long-term goals aligned with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). One of these Commitments is to help lift 200,000 people out of poverty in the regions where the company operates by 2030.
Involving 36 cooperative members and 21 waste collectors, the partnership with ACAMAR benefits 188 people directly and indirectly in the region. In addition to a salary, cooperative members also receive meals (lunch and breakfast at the cooperative), job registration, life insurance and other labor benefits guaranteed by law, creating additional security for the individuals who choose to join the organization.
Through continuous dialogue and support, the cooperative, which aims to increase the number of beneficiaries to 80 and thus increase the area covered by their work, also implements sustainability initiatives through educational campaigns to create more conscious and prepared citizens.
In addition to fostering the sustainable economy in the region, the association also runs the environmental education project Floresta Viva (“Live Forest”), focusing on preventing forest fires through educational activities in schools, managed in partnership with Suzano. This year, the cooperative also created the Center for Environmental Education, Agroecology with Income Generation (CEAAGRE, in Portuguese), an initiative that aims to train active and conscious citizens for the development of a more sustainable society.