Brazil approves the National Solid Waste Plan

On April 14, 2022, the Brazilian government approved the National Solid Waste Plan previously foreseen by the National Solid Waste Policy of 2010. Their main objective is to support solid waste management and planning in federal, state, and municipal spheres.

After 12 years, Decree 11043 of 2022 plans for long-term development. Within its 20 years’ timeframe, the National Solid Waste Plan is divided into phases. Initially, the urban waste is diagnosed nationally, contemplating the national and international best practices addressing the issue.

New mechanisms are supporting the compilation of information and population awareness. This is the case of the National Information System on Solid Waste Management (SNIR), displaying legal text, regulations, waste generation characteristics, reverse logistics schemes (Extended Producer Responsibility - EPR), reports, and on.

Among the main goals, the following are highlighted:

• The elimination of dumping places until 2024
• Until 2040, recover at least 48% of the generated mass (recycling, energy, and biologic waste)
• Until 2040, 95% of municipalities will offer a formal contract for cooperative and waste collectors
• Recover 50% of all packing material through reverse logistics in 2040
• Highly improve energy generation on varied decomposing waste sources, benefiting more than 27 million households
• Recycling 25% of waste from civil construction until 2040

The National Solid Waste Plan will be updated every four years to assess progress in diverse sectors and evaluate investment gaps. Businesses in Brazil shall pay close attention and assure compliance with the provisions.

The national solid waste plan can be viewed here.