JBS recycles 40,000 tons of plastic in 10 years
22 | 06 | 2024
The Ambiental business unit of JBS, specializing in solid waste management, project development, circular economy solutions, and plastic waste recycling and transformation, has recycled 40,000 tons of plastic waste destined for landfills over the past decade. This volume would fill the equivalent of 16 Olympic swimming pools. In 2023 alone, Ambiental recycled approximately 3,000 tons of plastic, generating over 6,000 tons of raw materials and new products.
Of the total recycled plastic material in the last decade, 35% was directed towards industrial inputs and 65% towards the production of plastic products such as packaging, flooring, cages, and pallets.
According to Thuany Taves, Executive Manager of Ambiental, besides contributing to the environment by correctly disposing of and recycling plastic inputs, the company also helps mitigate industrial impact by promoting circular economy principles and producing new products from recycled plastic. “Ambiental started with the purpose of waste management. Today, we specialize in plastic recycling, focusing on promoting circular economy and creating solutions for the application of raw materials in new products,” says Thuany.
One of Ambiental’s most innovative solutions for hard-to-recycle plastics was the ‘green flooring’, launched in 2021. After two years of study, the company introduced interlocking flooring suitable for outdoor environments made from plastics used in vacuum-packed fresh products. The green flooring meets ABNT (Brazilian Association of Technical Standards) standards and offers the same durability as materials made entirely of concrete. Recently, the product was certified with the ABNT Ecological Seal for Environmental Quality. In 2023 alone, 22,000 square meters of green flooring were produced, equivalent to 2 soccer fields.
“Our focus remains on innovation and operational excellence so that we can obtain high-quality raw materials for various product lines. Therefore, we encourage our technical team to develop solutions for the reuse of hard-to-recycle packaging,” explains Thuany.
A significant portion of the plastic recycled by Ambiental (80% of the total volume) comes from the operations of JBS business units such as Friboi, Seara, Swift, Couros, and Novos Negócios, generating new products to meet the needs of the company and the market. Today, Ambiental operates 23 units in Brazil, focusing on the management and treatment of recyclable and non-recyclable post-industrial solid waste.
Escrito por: Oxigenweb