The Prolata program recycled 22,032.79 tons of steel in 2020, registering an increase of 179% compared to 2019. Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul and São Paulo were the States that recycled the most in the period. Data are from Prolata, a non-profit association created in 2012 by the value chain of steel can manufacturers in Brazil.
Currently, Prolata has partnerships with 53 cooperatives, totaling 1,339 members, 20 warehouses and two steel mills, in addition to 28 Voluntary Delivery Points (PEVs).
Source: Prolata
“Based on the operation flow that has been established and permanently improved, we are going to work with the expectation of recycling 50,000 tons of steel by the end of 2021”, highlights Thais Fagury, president of the Brazilian Association of Steel Packaging (Abeaço) and director of Prolata.
The rate of 47.5% for recycling cans is much higher than the national level of 4% for recycling waste. Thais Fagury also explains that the support of the steel industry is essential for these recycling rates to be achieved, guaranteeing the capillarity of the operation. Another advantage is that steel can be recycled 100%, it is a material that is easily revalued.
Recycling partnerships
Source: Prolata
Faced with all the challenges generated by the pandemic, the program was able to consolidate a very expressive performance thanks to the actions taken. Prolata donated more than 10,000 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to 26 partner cooperatives across the country. In total, 768 cooperative members were directly benefited by the initiative in cities in the states of São Paulo, Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, Mato Grosso do Sul, Goiás, Bahia and Minas Gerais.
Prolata also supported 17 cooperatives with the acquisition of reports from the Environmental Risk Prevention Program (PPRA), the Occupational Health Medical Control Program (PCMSO) and the Occupational Health Certificate (ASO), which cover a total of 476 members .
In addition, webinars on environmental education were held for more than 5,000 participants and 12 discussion groups were created with 286 educators, who were able to address important issues for sustainable development. These professionals can transmit knowledge to the 695 schools in which they work, reaching more than 217 thousand students.
One of the key pieces to strengthen the Program's actions in an integrated manner is the signing of agreements jointly with public entities. By 2020, five terms of cooperation have already been signed: with the Ministry of the Environment (MMA), with the GAEMA of Baixada Santista, with the Public Ministry of Mato Grosso do Sul, with CETESB in the State of São Paulo and with the State of the Environment of Paraná.
The post More than 22 thousand tons of steel cans were recycled in 2020 appeared first on Espaço Ecologico No Ar.
