Urban solid waste management (USW) is an increasing challenge in Brazil, especially with population growth and accelerated urbanization. An effective solution to mitigate environmental impacts while simultaneously generating energy is waste-to-energy (WTE) recovery. However, Brazil is significantly behind in adopting this technology, particularly when compared to developed countries.
What is Waste-to-Energy Recovery?
Waste-to-energy recovery consists of converting non-recyclable materials into usable energy, whether in the form of electricity, heat, or fuels. This process is carried out using various technologies such as incineration with energy recovery, gasification, pyrolysis, and anaerobic digestion. In addition to reducing the volume of waste sent to landfills, these technologies contribute to clean energy generation, aligning with circular economy principles.
Importance of Waste-to-Energy Recovery
- Reduction of Waste Volume: Transforming waste into energy can significantly reduce the volume of trash sent to landfills, extending their lifespan and mitigating the need for new disposal areas.
- Clean Energy Generation: Waste-to-energy recovery contributes to diversifying the energy matrix, offering a continuous and predictable source of electricity and heat, regardless of weather conditions.
- Greenhouse Gas Mitigation: By preventing the anaerobic decomposition of organic waste in landfills, there is a significant reduction in methane emissions, a gas with a global warming potential 25 times greater than carbon dioxide.
- Basic Sanitation and Public Health: Proper disposal of urban solid waste prevents soil and water contamination and reduces the proliferation of disease-carrying vectors, improving quality of life in communities.
Why is Brazil Behind in Waste-to-Energy Recovery?
Several factors contribute to Brazil’s delay in adopting waste-to-energy recovery technologies:
- Deficiencies in Waste Management Infrastructure: Selective collection and waste segregation are still limited practices in the country, hindering the implementation of technologies requiring specific materials, such as anaerobic digestion.
- Regulatory and Legal Barriers: The lack of a clear regulatory framework and specific incentives for waste-to-energy recovery discourages investment in the sector. The absence of public policies integrating waste management with energy generation is a significant hurdle.
- Cultural Resistance and Misinformation: There is a negative perception of incineration technologies, often mistakenly associated with air pollution. This misinformation generates resistance among society and policymakers.
- Economic and Financial Challenges: The high initial cost of setting up waste-to-energy recovery plants, combined with the lack of adequate financing mechanisms, makes these projects difficult to implement. Additionally, competition with landfills, which have lower operational costs, makes waste-to-energy recovery less economically attractive.
Current Landscape and Ongoing Initiatives in Brazil
Despite challenges, some initiatives signal progress in waste-to-energy recovery in Brazil:
- Barueri Waste-to-Energy Plant (URE Barueri): Scheduled to begin operations in 2027, it will be the first plant of its kind in the country, with a capacity of 20 MW.
- Energy Auction Projects: In auctions held in 2022, the Energy Research Company (EPE) included 19 urban solid waste projects, totaling 131 MW of power. These projects are located in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, indicating growing interest in the sector.
- National Plans and Investments: The National Solid Waste Plan (Planares) foresees the implementation of 994 MW of installed capacity in waste-to-energy recovery plants by 2040. Estimates point to an investment potential of approximately R$ 500 billion in the biogas, biomethane, and waste-to-energy recovery sectors in the coming years.
Recent International Examples of Waste-to-Energy Recovery
Several countries have significantly advanced in waste-to-energy recovery, serving as references for Brazil:
European Union: The EU has established ambitious targets for waste management. By 2035, member states must ensure that a maximum of 10% of municipal waste is sent to landfills, promoting recycling and waste-to-energy recovery. Additionally, the EU aims to reduce this percentage to 1% by 2050 or set specific per capita goals as part of the transition to a circular economy.
Germany: Among the five countries that generate the most waste in the world, Germany recycles 32% of urban waste, 46% is destined for waste-to-energy incineration, and the remaining 22% goes to composting. Since 2005, only inert waste can be deposited in landfills.
Spain: The country has advanced in transitioning to an industry less dependent on fossil fuels, investing in biorefinery processes that use organic waste to generate energy and biofuels. Projects from Cepsa and Natac, along with a new biofactory in Zaragoza managed by Urbaser, exemplify this trend.
Australia: Australia has been heavily investing in waste-to-energy recovery as a solution to reduce landfill dependence and increase the share of renewable sources in its energy mix. According to the ABREN (Brazilian Association of Waste-to-Energy Recovery), one of the country’s most innovative projects is the East Rockingham Waste-to-Energy plant, which is expected to process approximately 300,000 tons of urban solid waste per year, generating 29 MW of electricity, enough to power 36,000 households.
Additionally, the country is implementing new WTE plants in Melbourne and Sydney, driving a national energy transition plan that aims to reduce landfill waste disposal to less than 10% by 2030. This model follows the trend observed in the European Union, where environmental legislation has strongly encouraged waste-to-energy recovery as a sustainable alternative.
Brazil could draw inspiration from these advances and structure similar policies to reduce landfill dependence, which currently receives around 60% of urban solid waste.
Know more: How to Decarbonize? The Path to a Sustainable Energy Future
Prospects for Waste-to-Energy Recovery in Brazil
The waste-to-energy recovery sector in Brazil is still in its early stages, but some trends indicate a promising path:
1. Regulation and Public Policies
The National Solid Waste Policy (PNRS), approved in 2010, set guidelines for energy recovery from waste. However, implementation remains slow. To unlock investments, Brazil needs a solid regulatory framework, similar to the European Union’s, which establishes clear targets for landfill reduction and prioritizes waste-to-energy recovery.
A significant advancement was the creation of the SINIR (National Information System on Waste Management), which monitors waste disposal data in the country. This system could serve as a foundation for new regulations and sector incentives.
2. Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs)
International experience shows that the private sector plays a crucial role in making WTE projects viable. In Germany and France, for instance, most plants are operated by private consortia in partnership with local governments. Brazil needs to adopt this model to attract investments and ensure new plant implementation.
3. Infrastructure Expansion
Investment in infrastructure is essential to ensure the viability of energy recovery. Brazil still faces challenges in waste collection and segregation logistics, which directly impact the efficiency of WTE processes.
Currently, Eva Energia and Gás Verde are among the companies investing in the transformation of organic waste into biogas and biomethane, utilizing waste from landfills. This model can be expanded to other regions of the country.
4. Awareness and Environmental Education
Public acceptance of energy recovery still faces cultural barriers in Brazil. Many people associate waste incineration with air pollution, unaware that the new technologies used in Europe and Asia adhere to high emission control standards, making them safe and environmentally responsible.
Educational campaigns and awareness projects can help demystify these concerns and encourage the adoption of WTE technologies in the country.
Generating energy from waste presents a unique opportunity for Brazil to address two major challenges simultaneously: the solid waste management crisis and the need to diversify the energy matrix. However, for this to become a reality, the country must advance in regulation, attract investments, modernize its infrastructure, and raise awareness about the benefits of energy recovery.
Examples from countries like Germany, Australia, and Japan demonstrate that energy recovery can be a strategic pillar in reducing reliance on landfills, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, and generating electricity sustainably.
If Brazil wants to achieve a more sustainable future aligned with global best practices, it must act now. The 50-year delay compared to other nations can be reduced through effective public policies, strategic partnerships, and technological innovation.
When properly utilized, waste can cease to be a problem and become a valuable resource for producing clean and renewable energy. The question remains: when will Brazil be ready to take this step?
