With the initiative, Telêmaco Borba aims to serve as a sustainability model for other Brazilian cities

 
São Paulo, January 19, 2021 – Telêmaco Borba, Paraná is on track to become Brazil’s first 100% circular city, where glass, paper, aluminum, metal and plastic materials and packaging are processed, reused and recycled instead of being disposed of in landfills. To help make the project a reality, Klabin, HEINEKEN Group and Hub Incríveis, an innovation network focusing on the circular economy and generating positive impacts, are now calling on the general public to participate through a Public Call for Projects.
 

This goal is to attract companies, startups, NGOs, co-op networks, municipal consortia and educational and research institutes to submit solutions with positive impacts on the Packaging Circular Economy. To submit ideas and successful case studies that could serve as a model for the city, a form is available on the project’s website (www.hubincriveis.com/TC100). Submissions must be submitted from January 24 to February 18 and be related to one of the following topics:

·         Environmental Education: solutions that help build a culture of sorting and recycling waste in schools, condominiums, homes, government agencies, companies, stores and other organizations;
 

·         Reuse: suggestions that enable the reuse of packaging, with solutions encompassing logistics, sanitation and reinsertion into the packaging journey;
 

·         Voluntary Drop-off Points: submissions related to innovative formats for collection points, engagement encouraging their use and management methods for the points (taking into account the cleaning, storage, shipment and destination of recyclables);
 

·          Collection Reward Points: innovative solutions for awarding points for dropping off materials while determining the best locations for collection points, control methods for the materials dropped off and management;
 

·       Inclusion of “Invisible Grid”: solutions that foster the inclusion of individual and organized recyclable material collectors who are part of co-ops in the public recycling program;
 

·         Cooperative Network: proposals involving cooperative network models for sorting recyclable materials, consolidating volumes for scaling up sales and models for governance, logistics and financing the network; 
 

·         Increasing Recycling Efficiency: submissions for improving the sorting of recyclables by the public and increasing the amounts collected from residences;

 

·         Connection to Major Player Recycling Initiatives: solutions for brand owners and companies that already collect some materials, as well as for their distribution to the recycling industry. 

All projects will be reviewed by an examining panel formed by representatives from Klabin, Heineken and Hub Incríveis, who will analyze the economic, social and environmental impacts and the maturity of the solutions proposed. The best ideas will be selected for implementation throughout 2022 in Telêmaco Borba.

 
The initiative also draws on the support of ViraSer, a reverse logistics program that accelerates trains and professionalizes municipal recycling programs by strengthening the work of recycling professionals, mainly through their associations.
 

Telêmaco Borba a pioneer
The region’s selection as the pilot project for TC100 is explained by the advances in the actions conducted by the local government and Klabin’s Solid Waste Program. In 2021, an effort was made to strengthen the municipality’s cooperatives by developing leaders and improving logistics and production efficiency. Other actions include supporting environmental education and expanding sales of materials. Two of the best indicators of its success were the growth in sales volume and the increase of over 200% in the average income of workers at the partner co-operative, as well as the improvement in health, safety and hygiene conditions for workers.
 

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