Production of post-consumer recycled plastic reaches more than 1 million tons

Recycling has become a highly discussed topic in recent years. With the growing population and an increase in the generation of waste, recycling is essential to reduce the exploitation of natural resources and waste in the environment.

According to a survey conducted by MaxiQuim, a company for business evaluation in the chemical industry with a focus on market analysis and competitiveness, on demand of PICPlast – Incentive Plan for the Plastics Chain – in 2021, 23.4% of post-consumption plastic waste was recycled in the country. In the same period an increase of 14.7% in the production of post-consumption recycled plastic also stands out, reaching more than 1 million tons.

MaxiQuim has conducted this study annually since 2018 and aims to measure the size of the plastics recycling industry in Brazil, tracking the annual evolution and challenges to the sector.

According to the analysis, in 2021, 1.5 million tons of plastic waste was consumed in recycling, representing a growth of 13.2% compared to 2020, with a little over 1.1 million tons being of post-consumption plastic, that is, material discarded in various places by the population.

“This growth data of post-consumer recycled plastic production shows a recovery of the industry post-pandemic, but also a greater use of PCR by companies. We believe that production should continue to rise in the coming years, aiding the growth of the recycling index” explains Solange Stumpf, partner at MaxiQuim.

Valgroup is part of this movement and, since its foundation, has been concerned with developing recyclable solutions, encouraging this habit and assuming its own recycling fronts. Recently, the company has acquired another plant specialized in the manufacture of rPET (recycled PET resin) in Italy, in addition to those that Valgroup already operates in, Duque de Caxias (RJ), Ipojuca (PE), Nova Iguaçu (PE), Nova Iguaçu (RJ), Poços de Caldas (MG), Mexico and Spain.

In flexible material recycling, Valgroup operates in Manaus (AM) and Itanhandu (MG), recovering post-industrial trimmings directly from its production, aside from having partnerships with companies such as Deink, an industry 4.0 with innovative recycling technology that allows the removal of external inks from printed plastic waste without any use of solvents or chemicals that are harmful to the environment.

This performance in innovation and sustainability is directly linked to the sustainable commitment of the company which has a robust ESG positioning, such as being ZERO NET by 2040, neutralizing carbon emissions and recycling the equivalent to 100% of the amount of packaging produced, effectively contributing to the circular economy by removing plastic waste from the environment.

“For more than 45 years in the market, we have become one of the largest producers and recyclers of plastic, acting in an ethical and transparent manner. Innovation with disruptive technologies in recycling are part of a journey that began many years ago, in a company that has always had sustainability in its DNA“. – reinterates Eduardo Berkovitz, Director of Institutional Relations and Compliance at Valgroup.