Resíduos químicos industriais: o cenário brasileiro e perspectivas futuras

Abstract

The topic of industrial solid waste has become of utmost importance in recent years due to the growing focus on sustainability in the industrial sector. With the progress of the Industrial Revolutions, the relationship between societies, goods production, and consumption has become closer than ever. With the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the beginning of the scarcity of non-renewable raw materials, such as fossil fuels, industries have found an increasing need to look at the concept of the "Circular Economy" with renewed attention. The objective of this work was to analyze, initially, the current position of the Brazilian Government regarding the production, management, and disposal of industrial waste, based on data provided by the Ministry of the Environment. It also examined some of the main waste disposal methods, such as incineration, co-processing, and landfilling, assessing their advantages and disadvantages from the perspectives of public health and the contamination of fauna and flora. Finally, the study highlighted significant actions and projects in solid waste circularity carried out by two companies in the chemical and petrochemical sectors, ICL and the Brazilian company Braskem. This study concludes that, despite substantial advancements in Brazilian legislation, there is still ample room for improvement and emphasizes the need for collaborative efforts among industries, government bodies, and consumers to make circularity increasingly practiced.