Telêmaco Borba, in Paraná, is one of the first municipalities in Brazil to have a protocol for collecting, handling, and sending glass for recycling. The procedure, developed by the consulting firm Ambipar Viraser Environment, was transferred to local cooperatives by the Klabin Solid Waste Program. The methodology has already prevented more than 350 metric tons of glass from going to the landfill.

 

Besides including a new material in recycling, the initiative encouraged partnerships to sell the waste at a better price, doubling the amount paid per metric ton. Since February 2023, the average revenue of cooperatives from the sale of glass has increased by 93%. 

For Alisson Palamar Rodrigues Mendes, president of the Recicla TB cooperative in Telêmaco Borba, the initiative not only brought benefits to the team but also to the market as a whole and to the environment. "Thanks to the protocol, we have doubled both the commercial value and the quantity of recycled glass in the municipality. We increased our margin from 20 to 40 metric tons per month. This material can be returned to the industry and will not be discarded in nature, completing the cycle of the recycling chain," he explains. To promote best practices, the cooperative led by Alisson has formed partnerships with local bars, restaurants, and residential complexes. Every week, a truck picks up the materials from these locations and takes them to the cooperative's shed.

 

Another gain for cooperative members is in safety. The professionals who work in the cooperatives have undergone training for the proper handling of glass. "Today, we use individual protection equipment correctly and separate the types of glass," details Thaís Aparecida Domingos da Silva, a cooperative member of Recicla TB.

 

 

Did you know?

 

When disposed of in the environment, glass takes 1 million years to decompose. That is why it is so important to correctly dispose of the material. Glass jars from preserved foods, long neck bottles, and bottles from other beverages can be recycled. 

 

In Telêmaco Borba, residents can still exchange the material at the Feira do Bem. The initiative, launched in 2019, strengthens recycling, family farming, and ensures food on the table for low-income families. Just take recyclable materials to one of the collection points and exchange them for fresh greens, vegetables, and fruits.