Sustainability
Report 2012

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Campo Limpo System

Global Reference

The Campo Limpo System has become a national and international reference in reverse logistics. Managed by inpEV, it currently disposes 94% of primary plastic containers (in direct contact with the product) and 80% of total empty containers of pesticides sold in Brazil. In this process, the institute is the representative of manufacturers of pesticides, coordinating the final disposal – recycling or incineration – of the material taken to container receiving units.

The trend of increase in environmentally aware disposal of empty containers of pesticides has been more and more consolidated. In 2012, the Campo Limpo System disposed 37,379 tons (92% sent to recycling and 8% to incineration), 9.3% more than in 2011 (34,203 tons).<EN22 and EN27>

Among the mix of all containers placed on the market, 94% of primary containers (in direct contact with the product) were recovered. When adding primary and secondary containers, the recovery index is 80%.

In 2012, the states of Alagoas (+ 395.4%), Pará (+ 132.3%) and Rio Grande do Norte (+ 95.6%) presented the highest growth in the amount of containers disposed of, and the Federal District presented a relevant result among the other 22 states.

From the total quantity of containers placed on the market annually, 5% are not recyclable. These are flexible containers or containers for non-water-miscible products. In addition, many containers returned to receiving units are not correctly rinsed by producers/farmers at the right moment (product mix preparation). In both cases, these containers are taken to incineration.<EN22 and EN27>

Total containers by type and disposal method <EN22 and EN27>

(in t)
Type of containers1 Disposal method2 201020112012
Containers submitted to triple rinsing Recycling 28,779 31,519 34,600
Non-rinsed containers Incineration 2,487 2,684 2,779
Total31,266 34,203 37,379

Notes:

(1) The containers are directly disposed of by inpEV or third-party contractors. No other method of disposal is available besides recycling and incineration.

(2) The calculation of the number of recovered containers considers the total containers that inpEV takes from container receiving centers to final disposal and the number of containers sold, informed by trading companies (all of them are the institute’s associates).

For 2013, the total amount of disposed containers is expected to reach 40,000 tons, which will demand the whole infrastructure to achieve this number without any incident, considering the increase in the amount from new agricultural areas in the North and Northeast regions. In fact, it is one goal for the next year. <1.2>

The activities at container receiving centers are regularly supervised, in real time, by the Information System from Receiving Centers (SIC), to prevent, in particular, critical stock of containers, when the storage capacity reaches the undesirable level of 75%. In addition, planning meetings are held on a monthly basis to ensure continued improvements in the system.

Critical stocks are expected to reduce more and more, becoming increasingly rare, due to the project of online scheduling to return empty containers, which will enable to plan in advance the quantities of empty containers farmers will bring to receiving units and, consequently, the maintenance of the Campo Limpo System effectiveness across the country.

Total containers disposed in Brazil <EN27>

(by state – 2012, in tons)
StateRinsed containers (t) Non-rinsed containers (t) Total (t) %
Mato Grosso8,272 4218,693 23.30
Paraná4,265 5684,832 12.90
São Paulo4,193 3354,52812.10
Goiás3,6463614,00610.70
Rio Grande do Sul3,2102263,4369.20
Minas Gerais2,9213143,2358.70
Bahia2,8171562,9738.00
Mato Grosso do Sul2,348922,4406.50
Maranhão701397412.00
Santa Catarina518705881.60
Piauí380234031.10
Tocantins263242870.80
Pernambuco198522490.70
Espírito Santo215242390.60
Rondônia18091890.50
Alagoas156131700.50
Pará134131470.40
Rio de Janeiro7013830.20
Rio Grande do Norte4827740.20
Roraima43–430.10
Sergipe22–220.10
Total 34,6002,77937,379100

Disposal of empty containers of pesticides in Brazil <EN27>

(by state – 2009-2012, in tons)
State2009 2010 20112012
Mato Grosso6,777 7,1038,7858,693
Paraná4,5634,7164,4904,832
São Paulo3,5983,6133,7404,528
Goiás3,1113,3143,5804,006
Rio Grande do Sul2,5112,8393,2723,436
Minas Gerais2,2792,6052,7323,235
Bahia1,8832,4692,7602,973
Mato Grosso do Sul1,9772,1762,2902,440
Maranhão603581710741
Santa Catarina545529551588
Piauí149247277403
Tocantins118176153287
Pernambuco206213240249
Espírito Santo127194209239
Rondônia92234168189
Alagoas8810034170
Pará385763147
Rio de Janeiro24226883
Rio Grande do Norte56623874
Roraima–4–43
Sergipe22113322
Total28,77131,26634,20237,379

The results kept the trend of growth observed every year since the system started operating, a direct consequence of the engagement of agents in this program and increase in agricultural production.

To ensure sufficient infrastructure, the system has a network of 414 receiving units (302 stations and 112 centers), in 25 states and in the Federal District. One of its main characteristics is the continuous adaptation to growth observed in the segment of pesticides, which can be seen in the annual increase in the amount of containers returned by farmers to the container receiving units.

Itinerant container receipt, operating as mobile and temporary units, organized by the receiving centers with the support of municipal authorities, also contribute to positive results, considering that, in Brazil, around 10% of disposed containers are from these actions. Such initiatives occur frequently, with annual schedule of itinerant container receipts in some places.