Brasil Pack Trends 2020

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BrasilPackTrends2020 178
sustainability & ethics
The need of mitigation of greenhouse gases is
clearly expressed in the 4th IPCC report. Models based
on the current levels of greenhouse gases (GHG) and on
the rates of temperature rise measurements estimate an
increase in global average from 1.8°C to 4°C until 2100,
and the most reliable estimate predicts an increase of
3°C if the GHG concentrations stabilize down at 45%
above the current rate.
The landslides that happened in 2011 in
Teresópolis, in the State of Rio de Janeiro, due to a
long rainy period, as well as the floods in Pakistan in
2010, the heat waves in France in 2003, the drought in
Russia in 2010, the heat in the Alpine resorts in 2006
and the drought in USA in 2012, among other events,
are reflexes of the climate changes (IPCC, 2007c; IPCC,
2011; FAPESP AGENCY, 2012).
Since these events have been increasingly frequent,
the need is urgent for all sectors of the economy, including
the packaging sector, to contribute to the reduction in the
emission of greenhouse gases and implement actions to
reduce the anthropogenic impact on our system
The urgency in reducing the effects of anthropogenic actions
The National Policy of Solid Waste (NPSW) was
instituted in Brazil through Law number 12.305, August
2nd, 2011, after almost 20 years passing through the
National Congress, and this fact can be considered a
landmark in Brazilian history.
According to the Brazilian Institute of Geography
and Statistics, 80% of almost 260,000 of daily collected
or received garbage, are designated to controlled and/or
sanitary landfills. Unfortunately, 18% of the domestic
and/or public solid waste is still sent to open landfills
(BRAZILIAN INSTITUTE OF GEOGRAPHY AND
STATISTICS, 2008). Therefore, the minimization of
waste generation as well as the proper disposal of solid
waste should be priorities in the country, to meet the
basic principles of sanitation.
Due to its importance and complexity, it is
necessary to understand how the policy is structured
in relation to packaging. The NPSW text is divided into
four parts or Titles:
General Considerations (T-I)
In the first part related to the general considerations (T-
I), the NPSW gives general guidelines for the integrated
management of solid waste and assigns responsibilities
to their generators and also the government. The most
important definitions are:
Life Cycle of products: it involves the steps from
the acquisition of the raw material, its processing,
consumption and to final disposition.
Adequate Environmental Destinations: include reuse,
recycling, composting, energy recovery and use or
others allowed by regulatory agencies.
Final Adequate Environmental Disposal: considers only
the orderly distribution of waste in landfills, according
to their operational standards, preventing damage or
risks to public health and safety.
The National Policy of Solid Waste (NPSW)