Rural producers send 99% of agrochemical containers for recycling in Paraná

Years ago, rural producer Luis Carlos Hübner, from Teixeira Soares, in the Center-South of Paraná, has already incorporated a process into his routine inside the gate. It separates empty packaging of agrochemicals used on your crops for correct disposal. To make it even easier for the farmer, delivery is made itinerantly, with teams from the Campo Limpo System centers, who travel to previously determined locations, to simplify the return process for producers in more distant municipalities.

“We deliver using the Assocampos [Campos Gerais Agricultural Inputs Resellers Association] itinerant system. They have three dates and locations throughout the year, and two are closest to the property. This model is excellent and very well organized, and it really helps producers who do not have an appropriate vehicle or who, for some reason, have difficulty getting it to the units”, he says.

Hübner is part of a universe of thousands of farmers in Paraná who, since 2021, have already correctly disposed of more than 7 thousand tons of empty pesticide packaging, according to the National Institute for Empty Packaging Processing (inpEV). This represents 13% of Brazil's total volume, which places the State in second place in the ranking of adherence to the Campo Limpo System. Returning packaging is a legal obligation of the rural producer, as is keeping the purchase invoice.

Since the beginning of operations in 2002, the Campo Limpo System has been expanded throughout Brazil, consolidating the country as a global reference in the reverse logistics of empty packaging and post-consumer leftovers of agrochemicals. During this period, the program has already received more than 670 thousand tons of containers, which corresponds to 94% of the primary plastic packaging placed on the market. In other words, for every 100 packages used in Brazilian agribusiness, 94 are discarded in an environmentally correct way. Of this volume, 93% is sent for recycling – only 7% is incinerated.

In Paraná, the recycling rate is higher than the national average. Of 100 packages sold, 99 return to the production cycle as raw material for other products, whether new containers for agrochemicals or artifacts for other industries, such as automotive and energy. If we raise the comparison to other countries, the farmer from Paraná also comes out ahead. According to a survey by inpEV, in France, the reuse rate is 77%; in Canada and Germany, 73%; in Japan, 50%, and in the United States, this rate is just 33%.

The Clean Land Program, a state government initiative under former governor Jaime Lerner, put Paraná at the forefront in collecting, storing and recycling agrochemical packaging. According to Fabio Macul, regional operations coordinator at inpEV, this can be considered the starting point for a reverse logistics system. “Terra Limpa, however, was faced with the fact that it did not properly dispose of packaging. With federal legislation, in which each link has its obligations, the cycle of responsibilities with packaging has closed”, he points out.

In the assessment of José Antônio Borghi, president of the Technical Committee (CT) for Cereals, Fibers and Oilseeds at FAEP, Paraná's numbers are the result of a joint effort. “When everyone speaks the same language, we have the links in the chain working to achieve the best results. The producer himself was waiting for this alternative, which solved a problem on the property and the environmental issue. Everyone won, especially society,” he says.

Paraná commitment

According to Rui Leão Mueller, agronomist at the Instituto Água e Terra (IAT), who participates in the coordination of the Campo Limpo System, the State invests in training the teams responsible for receiving the packages, in partnership with inpEV. “Errors are falling drastically. In addition to training, we control processes and inspect the receiving units, together with cooperatives and resellers. This entire system was created to help the farmer, the main interested party”, he highlights.

The State has 12 empty packaging reception centers, managed by inpEV, and 65 reception points distributed across all regions, generally managed by distributor associations or cooperatives. According to the IAT, there are 17 reseller associations in Paraná, with 100% participation of companies.

At the plants, the packaging is pressed and separated upon receipt, which helps to reduce the volume sent to final destination for recycling or incineration. “For associations, it is an advantage, as they can direct their strategic activities to receiving stations and itinerant receipts, which are important for medium and small farmers”, explains Macul.

SENAR-PR provides guidance to producers

All SENAR-PR courses relating to the application of agricultural pesticides have specific modules on the correct disposal of empty packaging. “Participants receive all guidance on the types of packaging, how to wash it and where to deliver it. When possible, we make visits to the centers and reception stations”, explains Flaviane Medeiros, technician from the Technical Department (Detec) of the FAEP/SENAR-PR System.

On the property of producer Carlos Eduardo dos Santos Luhm, from Guarapuava, all employees underwent SENAR-PR training. “After being punctured, the packages are stored in a container and, when it reaches a certain volume, I schedule delivery, at least twice a year”, he reports. “It is a very efficient system that leaves the producer at peace, because there is no accumulation, either on the property or in nature”, he concludes.