A Custody Center, the first Brazilian company authorized by the Ministry of the Environment as a verifier of reverse logistics system results, established a strategic partnership with theABREE- Brazilian Association of Electronic and Appliance Recycling. The goal is to raise standards of traceability, credibility, and combat togreenwashingin the sector, in accordance with the latest government guidelines.
The introduction of reverse logistics result verification in Brazil emerged in 2022, updated to Federal Decree No. 11,413/2023, becoming thefirst country in the world to adopt independent verification as a government standardThe measure establishes standards for traceability through approved entities, ensuring transparency, impartiality, and combating the practice of misleading environmental advertising.
The Custody Center holds the largest traceability data system for reverse logistics in the country and becomes a pioneer with a system developed for electronics.This partnership reinforces our commitment to the traceability of the entire reverse logistics chain and the accuracy of the data. The fight against greenwashing requires robust and independent tools, and Brazil is leading the way.regulatorythis unprecedented verification model in the worldFernando Bernardes, CEO of the Custody Center, affirms.
A ABREE has 52 members representing 173 brands and operates in partnership with approximately 3,500 receiving points spread throughout the entire country. Despite the advances, the sector still faces significant challenges, such as engaging consumers in environmentally proper disposal at collection points and combating informality in waste processing. In this context, traceability and independent verification emerge as key elements to ensure the integrity of operations.
"Transparency and traceability are fundamental pillars for the advancement of reverse logistics in Brazil. The partnership with the Custody Center strengthens this commitment by providing a solid base of verified data that ensures the credibility of the results. With this technical support, we expand our capacity to measure impacts, identify improvement opportunities, and ensure that each properly discarded equipment truly contributes to an environmentally responsible cycle."highlights Robson Esteves, President of ABREE.
According to data from the United Nations (UN), in 2022 a total of 62 million tons of electronic waste was produced.. However, only about 22.3% of the annual electronic waste mass was properly collected and recycled. Brazil, as the main waste generator in South America, contributed 2.4 million tons to the global total.
The partnership between the institutions will allow reverse logistics data to be audited in accordance with the criteria established by the Ministry of the Environment. This also ensures legal certainty for manufacturers, importers, distributors, and traders who are part of ABREE's collective reverse logistics system.
