Semas strengthens circular economy with delivery of equipment to women-led cooperative in Igarapé-Açu
Proposed partnership in environmental licensing enhances safety and work capacity of ReciclAssu
The State Secretariat for the Environment and Sustainability (Semas) delivered equipment to the ReciclAssu Cooperative this week, in the municipality of Igarapé-Açu, in northeastern Pará. This action is part of the Regulariza Pará Program, through the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), Territory, and Environmental Licensing axis, which aims to promote sustainable development and social inclusion in the territories.
The delivery is the result of an institutional arrangement that connects ESG practices to environmental licensing, in partnership with Be8 Energy and Centaurus Mineral Research companies. The initiative also received support from the State Secretariat for Women (Semu).
Essential equipment for the development of ReciclAssu's structure was delivered, including a vertical baler with compactor, sorting conveyor, hydraulic stacker, glass crusher with attached conveyor, digital scale, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). With the new machinery, the cooperative will be able to increase its capacity for collecting and sorting recyclable waste, promoting operational gains and generating more job opportunities for the community.
The Deputy Secretary of Environmental Management and Regularity, Rodolpho Zahluth Bastos, emphasized that the delivered equipment will amplify the work of women in recycling. "We are here in Igarapé-Açu, at the ReciclAssu headquarters, where we are making a series of deliveries that will strengthen the work of women in recycling and the circular economy. We have an example that will certainly inspire and mobilize several municipalities in the region, which will be able to channel recyclable waste here, ensuring proper disposal," he said.
The secretary also mentioned that female leadership is crucial for this advancement and for this moment of transition to the circular economy. "Currently, 60% of recycling workers in Brazil are women. The circular economy is a model of production and consumption with strong female leadership. Women play a central role in recycling, waste management, and creating innovative sustainability solutions. The ReciclAssu green currency project is an example of this," he concluded.
The head of the State Secretariat for Women, Paula Gomes, was also present at the delivery. “We delivered the equipment here at ReciclAssu, in partnership with Semas, which made this moment possible. We are very happy with this achievement, as not only the equipment arrives, but also hope, appreciation, and recognition for those who make a social impact daily. Congratulations to everyone, especially to the ReciclAssu cooperative, which does very important and serious work with women and their families in vulnerable situations, generating income and promoting awareness throughout the city,” she highlighted.
"Centaurus reaffirms its socio-environmental commitment to the State of Pará, and especially, its social responsibility towards communities. I congratulate the excellent work being done by the entire Ideassu/ReciclAssu team, which uses recyclable waste as a source of opportunities, significantly contributing to sustainable development. Certainly, these materials and equipment delivered will provide greater production, also aiming to serve other municipalities in the Igarapé-Açu region," says Efraim Reis, Environmental Manager at Centaurus Mineral Research.
ReciclAssu, which operates in the collection of non-hazardous waste, stands out for its community engagement and female leadership, with over 50% of its board composed of women. With the delivery of the equipment, the cooperative will have an improved structure and further open space for the circular economy by reusing waste and reinserting it into the production chain sustainably.
The beneficiary, Ediane Sena, has been working as a collector for over five years at the cooperative's Valuation Center. “We feel good because now we have been recognized and our work will improve. With this new material, the glass will be crushed, the press will separate the waste, and we will have more space to work more easily,” she highlighted.
Technical visit - The program also included a visit to the Agroecological Site Tolú, located on Highway PA-320. The site, supported by Regulariza Pará, is part of the route for valuing sustainable and community practices that combine environmental preservation and income generation.
The Regulariza Pará Program aims to promote an integrated transformation of territories, articulating communities, companies, and public institutions. The initiative supports extractivists from the coastal zone, fishing communities, family farming cooperatives, women's collectives, and projects related to environmental regularization, forest restoration, access to drinking water, and human dignity. In addition, it promotes actions that encourage efficient solid waste management and the circular economy as a strategy for sustainable development.
