The System covers all the regions of the country and is based on the concept of responsibility shared by farmers, manufacturers, distribution channels, and government, according to Federal Law 9.974/00, and its Regulatory Decree 4.074/02.
The activities of the Campo Limpo System are an internationally renown success model. If these packages were to be abandoned in the environment or improperly disposed, they could jeopardize the soil, surface water and water tables. The capillarity of the System’s actions, its excellence in articulating among different agents of the agricultural productive chain and the proper environmentally-friendly disposal of 94% of commercialized primary plastic packages have made Brazil become a worldwide reference.
Besides guaranteeing ample coverage and different receiving modes (see p. 20 and 21), the Campo Limpo System is continuously being improved, which is fundamental within the context of the strong dynamics of agriculture and Brazilian agribusiness, which have grown above the average of other productive sectors. With the expansion of the agricultural frontier and cultivation modernization, it has become crucial for the System to expand and improve its operations in order to guarantee proper residue management.
93% of the material received by the Campo Limpo System in 2018 returned to the productive cycle in the form of raw materials for other products. This corresponds to the percentage of recycled packaging: plastic packages that have been properly washed after field use, lids, cardboard packages and metallic containers. Non-washable packages (about 5% of the total sold) and those not properly washed by farmers were sent to accredited incinerators.
Shared responsibilities
- Farmers: wash, void and temporarily store the packages, according to technical guidelines; return them to the location indicated on the bill of sale and keep the proof of return (supplied by the receiving unit) for one year.
- Distribution channels (resellers and cooperatives): indicate on the bill of sale the return location for post-consumption packaging; maintain such return locations available; receive and properly store the material; issue proof of return to farmers; and educate and develop awareness among farmers about the importance of following the correct procedures and participating in the reverse logistics.
- Manufacturing industry (represented by inpEV): remove the packaging stored at the receiving units; provide proper destination to this material (recycling or incineration); educate and develop awareness among farmers about the importance of following the correct procedures and participating in the reverse logistics.
- Public power: oversee compliance of different agents with their legal responsibilities; grant licensing to receiving units; and educate farmers on the importance of following the correct procedures and participating in the reverse logistics.
Receiving units 102-7 102-9
In 2018, the Campo Limpo System had 411 receiving units distributed across Brazil. Each one of them - called central stations or outposts, according to their size and type of services provided - follows specific technical standards and undergoes an environmental licensing process to receive packages and post-consumption leftovers.
Receiving units
- Central stations: structures responsible for receiving, separating and processing the empty packaging to be sent to appropriate destination.
- Itinerant receiving stations: moving units for the temporary receipt of empty containers in more distant regions from the fixed receiving units.
- Outposts: smaller structures than the central stations, they are capable of receiving the empty packaging and segregate it, after which it is shipped to the central stations.
- Scheduled Return of Empty Packages (adEV): a system that allows farmers to schedule the return of empty packaging or that containing leftovers using a computer or a mobile device.
Packaging disposed by the Campo Limpo System 306-2
- Empty crop protection packaging
In 2018, 44,261 tons of empty crop protection packaging were disposed by the Campo Limpo System, of which 93% were sent to recycling and 7% to incineration, reaching the established goal of 44,200 tons for the year. In addition to the disposed material, 8,640 tons of packaging returned by farmers were in stock at the System’s receiving stations awaiting shipment to their final destination.
For 2019, the goal is to provide environmentally proper disposal to 43,500 tons of empty packages. This number reflects changes in packaging types, which have reduced the amount of materials used in their manufacturing. It is important to stress that the Campo Limpo System is prepared to receive and dispose in an environmentally proper fashion of 100% of all packages placed in the market by the industry.
- Packages with post-consumption leftovers
Packages with post-consumption leftovers are exclusively sent to incineration. In 2018, 99.8 tons of improper products were destined to incineration.
Disposed packages, according
to destination (t)
