Copel GET’s Environmental Management Program includes, among others, the Solid Waste Management Subprogram, developed in accordance with the National Solid Waste Policy and current legislation and standards, based on prior requirements for establishing planning and management of activities. The subprogram is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially 03 – Health and well-being, 11 – Sustainable cities and communities and 12 – Ensure sustainable production and consumption patterns.
The main objectives of this subprogram include: promoting the correct management of solid waste, from generation to final disposal, preventing negative environmental impacts associated with this environmental aspect of the facilities and maximizing positive impacts throughout the process, meeting legal requirements and environmental licensing conditions for the projects.
As established by the National Solid Waste Policy, the Company has Solid Waste Management Plans (PGRS) for its projects, thus adapting macro policies to the specificities of each location. The plans are controlled and monitored in two ways: quantitative monitoring is carried out by weighing the waste and the information is registered in the company’s waste management software; and qualitative monitoring is carried out through inspections.
Within the scope of the Solid Waste Management Subprogram, training is also provided, highlighting the guidelines of the National Solid Waste Policy, whose management is guided by the order of priority: do not generate, reduce, reuse, recycle, treat and dispose, thus promoting dialogues regarding waste management in projects and in the routine activities of employees.
There are several types of waste generated as a result of activities carried out at Copel facilities and each type is treated in a specific way. Waste that has commercial value is sold at auction, such as scrap metal, batteries, lubricating oils and used insulators. The disposal process aims to divert these materials that still have potential for use and added economic value, often returning through the circular economy, being recycled and used in other production chains.
Recyclable waste is properly segregated and is primarily donated to cooperatives or associations of recyclable material collectors, in line with public policies for social inclusion and strengthening the solidarity economy. The subprogram thus promotes the maximization of social and environmental gains, since it contributes to the generation of income and improvement of the working conditions of waste collectors and the use of this waste. As for organic waste and rejects, the disposal is carried out by the unit where they were generated, through composting, contracting or municipal collection.
The hazardous waste generated in the operational production processes of the units, most of which have a composition and calorific potential suitable for disposal through the co-processing technique, are collected by companies contracted specifically for this purpose and sent to clinker production kilns for cement production, thus taking advantage of the energy contained in these materials and providing enormous environmental benefits. If waste containing Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) is detected, the Company disposes of the contaminated oil and equipment to companies specialized in decontamination or incineration.
Some waste, mainly from civil maintenance activities or the decommissioning and maintenance of electrical equipment, cannot be recycled or co-processed due to its characteristics, leaving no alternative other than disposal in industrial landfills; however, its generation is exceptional.
The Solid Waste and PCB Management Subprogram provides the Company with greater control over waste management in its projects and, among the numerous benefits of the subprogram, the following stand out:
- Promotion of adequate management of the company’s solid waste, from generation to final disposal;
- Prevention of associated environmental impacts;
- Monitoring full compliance with legal requirements and environmental licensing conditions of Copel GeT projects;
- Expansion of employee knowledge, promoting training on waste management;
- Identification of opportunities to reduce the volume of waste generated, thus promoting cost reduction;
- Compliance with sustainability platforms regarding waste management;
- Contribution to the Company’s sustainable management and ESG practices and their visibility.
