Plastic Pollution's Impact On Brazil's Environment

Brazil is one of the top plastic producers in the world, but it contributes little to the global effort to combat plastic pollution. The country dumps around 325,000 tonnes of plastic into the sea each year, with single-use plastics accounting for 3 million tonnes annually. Despite its social importance, recycling is viewed as a palliative measure by those advocating for more significant reductions in plastic pollution. Brazil's recycling rate is low, and the government's environmental policy is seen as sending mixed signals. The country's participation in the expanded OPEC group and plans for oil production on the Amazon coast have drawn criticism from environmentalists. Brazil's petrochemical industry and the influence of recyclable waste pickers on the president are also factors in the country's resistance to more stringent measures to control plastic production.

Brazil's plastic pollution in the ocean

Brazil is one of the top plastic producers in the world, but its recycling efforts have been lacking. The country produces approximately 14 million tons of plastic waste annually, and only 4.5% of post-consumer plastic packaging is recycled. Brazil dumps around 325,000 tonnes of plastic into the sea each year, and this figure does not account for the surge in plastic mask usage due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This makes Brazil the fifth-largest contributor to plastic pollution in the oceans globally.

The Brazilian government's stance on plastic pollution is influenced by socioeconomic factors, particularly the importance of the domestic petrochemical industry and the recycling chain. Brazil has a large community of recyclable waste pickers, who are close to President Lula. This has resulted in environmental issues taking a back seat to socioeconomic concerns. Brazil was notably absent from the first meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) in 2022, indicating a lack of commitment to addressing plastic pollution on an international level.

The plastic pollution in Brazilian waters is largely due to poor waste management practices. Most urban freshwaters in Brazil are impacted by waste and wastewater discharges, with inadequate levels of wastewater treatment and solid waste management. Over half of post-consumer plastic packaging in Brazil is managed without any monitoring, and it is unclear how much of this contributes to plastic waste and microplastics in the country's freshwaters.

Brazil's plastic pollution problem extends beyond its borders, as plastic waste from the country can end up in the oceans, affecting other countries. While Brazil is a significant contributor to plastic pollution in the oceans, it is important to note that the top contributors are in East Asia, which includes countries like China.

To address the issue of plastic pollution in Brazil's oceans, the country needs to improve its waste management practices, particularly in urban areas. There is also a need for more comprehensive monitoring of plastic waste and its impact on freshwater ecosystems. Additionally, Brazil should focus on reducing plastic production and promoting reusable alternatives to reduce the amount of plastic waste generated in the first place.

Brazil's plastic waste management

Brazil is one of the largest manufacturers of plastic in the world, producing approximately 500 billion single-use plastic items annually. As a result, Brazil dumps around 325,000 tonnes of plastic into the sea each year and is the fifth-largest producer of methane in the world. In 2020, the waste management sector was responsible for 16% of total methane emissions in Brazil, largely due to the inappropriate disposal of waste. Brazil's first national solid waste policy (PNRS) came into force in 2010, but recycling was only an option. In 2022, Brazil generated approximately 82 million tonnes of municipal solid waste, with only 3-4% of this recovered. The remaining waste was sent to either appropriate landfills (50%) or dumps (40%).

Brazil's waste management infrastructure formalised the role of catadores (informal rubbish collectors) and cooperatives (groups of catadores), giving them legal priority over private companies. This infrastructure is supported by Brazil's national waste management plan, which sets increasing targets from 2024 to 2040. While Brazil's waste management system is robust, there is still a heavy reliance on landfill and dumps, with poor infrastructure and a lack of public awareness.

Brazil is one of the most progressive countries in terms of integrating waste pickers into its solid waste management systems. For example, the Coopercaps cooperative in southeast Brazil has two mechanical segregation units and a training centre that provides on-the-job training. Additionally, Brazil's recycling cooperatives play a crucial role in handling approximately 90% of recycled materials. For instance, the Catadores of Minas Gerais cooperative in Três Corações, Brazil, collects plastic bottles for use in sustainable footwear.

Brazil's plastic production

Brazil is the largest producer of thermoplastic resins in the Americas and the leading producer of polypropylene in the United States. The country is home to Braskem, the sixth largest petrochemical company in the world in the production of thermoplastic resins. With 13 industrial units, offices and operational bases in Brazil, the United States and Argentina, Braskem produces a diverse portfolio of petrochemicals and thermoplastics, including polyethylene (PE), green polyethylene (biopolymer), polypropylene (PP), and PVC.

Braskem is the only integrated first and second-generation petrochemical company for thermoplastic resins in Brazil. This gives the company competitive advantages, such as the scale of production and operational efficiency. The first generation produces basic petrochemicals such as ethylene and propylene from naphtha, natural gas and ethane. These compounds are fundamental to the second generation, which involves the manufacturing of thermoplastic resins (PE, PP and PVC), used subsequently by the third generation, transformation companies.

Brazil's petrochemical industry is one of the main factors behind the country's resistance to defending a more stringent commitment to control the production of plastic material. The country is the fifth-largest manufacturer of plastic in the world, dumping around 325,000 tonnes of plastic into the sea each year. Considering only single-use plastics, Brazil produces 3 million tonnes per year, which is equivalent to approximately 500 billion items.

Brazil's plastic recycling efforts

Brazil is the fourth-largest producer of plastic waste in the world, behind only the United States, China, and India. The country generates approximately 11.3 million tons of plastic waste annually, with each Brazilian producing around 1 kg of plastic waste per week. Despite this, Brazil recycles only about 1.2% of its plastic waste, falling significantly below the global average of 9%. This equates to around 325,000 tons of plastic dumped into the sea each year, in addition to the 7.7 million tons that end up in landfills.

The low recycling rate in Brazil can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, the country lacks structured municipal recycling programs, with only 6.4% of Brazilian municipalities having official waste recycling initiatives. Additionally, more than 70% of Brazilians do not separate their recyclable materials into proper bins, hindering the collection and sorting process. The recovery of recyclable materials is largely left to waste pickers, who sell them to private recycling companies for a living. While the Brazilian government supports waste picking activities and recognizes it as a legitimate occupation, the focus remains on socioeconomic issues rather than environmental concerns.

However, there are some positive developments in Brazil's plastic recycling efforts. In 1992, private companies established the Brazilian Business Commitment for Recycling (CEMPRE), a nonprofit organization promoting recycling and comprehensive waste management. CEMPRE aims to raise community awareness, improve waste management, and enhance the social status of waste pickers. Additionally, Brazil has seen an increase in post-consumer plastic recycling in recent years, with a 61% growth in post-consumer plastic waste generated between 2016 and 2018. Of the 3.4 million tons of post-consumer plastic waste produced in 2018, 757,000 tons were mechanically recycled, a 37% increase from 2016.

Despite these efforts, challenges remain in Brazil's plastic recycling journey. One significant obstacle is the decontamination of the material to be recycled. The cleaning process can be costly, often equaling or exceeding the price of virgin raw material, making waste recovery unfeasible. Furthermore, losses in the recycling process due to contamination of plastic scrap with unwanted materials and improper sorting remain prevalent. Brazil's stance in international negotiations for a plastic pollution treaty also indicates a resistance to more stringent commitments to control plastic production, prioritizing socioeconomic interests over environmental protection.

Brazil's plastic pollution in freshwater

Brazil is one of the top 16 leading contributor countries to plastic leakage into the ocean, with an estimated 325,000 tonnes of plastic dumped into the sea each year. The country is also a significant producer of single-use plastics, generating 3 million tonnes per year.

Plastic pollution in Brazil is not limited to the ocean, however. A 2021 study found evidence of plastic ingestion by 206 freshwater species, ranging from invertebrates to mammals. The same study also reported other consequences of plastic pollution in Brazil's freshwater ecosystems, including the entanglement of animals such as birds and freshwater turtles in fishing nets and other plastic waste.

Plastics enter Brazil's freshwater ecosystems through various pathways. These include direct discards into rivers, lakes, and other freshwater environments, as well as the disposal of plastics on streets and roads, which are then carried by rainwater into water bodies. Domestic and industrial sewage is another source, especially when products containing small plastic materials, such as cosmetics, are released into effluent systems.

The impacts of plastic pollution in Brazil's freshwater ecosystems are poorly understood, with few studies specifically addressing this issue. However, the available evidence suggests that plastic pollution in these ecosystems may be as detrimental as ocean pollution.

To address plastic pollution in Brazil's freshwater ecosystems, various measures have been proposed, including recycling programs, improved waste disposal practices, stringent legislation, regular inspections, and ecological restoration. There is also a need for more research on the effects of plastic pollution on freshwater fish in Brazil, with only 18% of studies considering the bio-ecological data of affected fish species.

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