Article

Paper recycling in Brazil requires scale and priority

As Recycling Day approaches, the reflection it inspires goes beyond the date itself and invites us to consider the structural role recycling plays in the country’s development. In a globally relevant industry, the numbers help illustrate both progress and challenges. Brazil is the world’s seventh-largest producer of paper products and the sixth-largest producer of corrugated cardboard. At the same time, it recycles 58.8% of the paper it produces and achieves a 64.9% recycling rate for paper packaging. Among the ten largest global manufacturers, Brazil ranks sixth in proportional recycling rates. There is, therefore, a solid foundation, but one that still requires progress in scale and efficiency.

In this context, recycling is not merely an environmental agenda but also an economic decision. The paper industry operates within a model in which waste returns as a productive input, reducing pressure on natural resources and contributing to efficiency gains throughout the value chain. When this cycle is well structured, it leads to lower costs, better use of materials, and stronger competitiveness. When it is not, the country loses value in an essential stage of the production process.

Advancing this agenda necessarily begins at the foundation of the value chain. Waste picker cooperatives play a central role in collecting and sorting materials and are responsible for enabling a large share of recycling activities in Brazil. The sector has invested more than R$30 million in structured programs designed to strengthen these initiatives nationwide, combining environmental impact with productive inclusion and income generation. Expanding this movement is essential to sustain growth in recycling rates and ensure greater reach throughout the system.

Another critical point is turning recycling into a habit. Process efficiency depends as much on infrastructure as it does on behavior. Without proper waste disposal and public engagement, the recycling chain loses both quality and volume of recyclable materials. On the other hand, when environmental education and initiatives bring the topic closer to everyday life, a stronger culture is created—one capable of sustaining long-term progress.

In this regard, practical experiences demonstrate how this approach can generate tangible impact. In Farroupilha, initiatives such as Ecotenda and EcoTrombini accounted for more than 80 tons of recycled waste throughout 2025. Ecotenda, as a permanent disposal point, was responsible for 71.6 tons of properly discarded materials, while EcoTrombini collected 9.2 tons of paper and cardboard through municipal schools. This volume was converted into more than R$9,000 invested directly in improvements to the local education network, connecting recycling, education, and social benefits within the same cycle.

Treating recycling as a priority means recognizing its role in productive efficiency, income generation, and Brazil’s positioning in a global landscape increasingly guided by environmental criteria. The country already possesses industrial scale and relevant performance indicators, but it must continue advancing toward a more integrated, structured, and continuous recycling chain. More than simply increasing numbers, the challenge lies in transforming recycling into a robust system capable of supporting economic growth through smarter resource use.