Waste Management Company

How to choose a waste management company

Under Law 12.305/2010, Brazil's National Solid Waste Policy (PNRS), the generator remains responsible for its waste even after hiring third parties to collect, transport or dispose of it. That is why choosing a waste management company is an environmental compliance decision, not just a matter of price. The criteria below help compare suppliers objectively.

Licenses and authorizations

• Environmental operating license: each stage (transport, temporary storage, treatment and disposal) must be covered by a valid license issued by the competent environmental agency, listing waste types compatible with yours.
• Licensed destinations: ask for the list of final receivers and check that each one's license covers the class of waste you generate.
• Transport of hazardous goods: for Class I waste, the vehicle, the driver and the transport documents must meet the specific requirements for this activity.
• State authorizations: some states require a specific authorization to remove waste of environmental concern, such as the CADRI in São Paulo.

Documentation and traceability

Traceability is what protects the generator most during an inspection. The main documents are:

• MTR (Waste Transport Manifest): issued in the SINIR MTR system (Brazil's national solid waste information system) before each shipment, it identifies the generator, carrier, receiver, waste type and quantity.
• CDF (Certificate of Final Disposal): issued by the receiver in the same system, it proves that the waste received under the MTR was given the declared disposal.
• Inventory and periodic reports: MTR and CDF records feed the reports the generator submits to the environmental agency.

A good practice is to periodically reconcile the MTRs issued with the CDFs received. An MTR without a matching CDF points to a gap in the chain that must be clarified with the supplier.

Support for the PGRS

Generators covered by article 20 of the PNRS, such as industrial activities, must prepare and maintain a Solid Waste Management Plan (PGRS). The plan describes the waste generated, its classification, packaging, transport and disposal, as well as reduction targets. The contracted company must operate in line with the PGRS and provide the data needed to keep it up to date.

Questions to ask before hiring

• Which licenses cover each stage of the service, and when do they expire?
• Where does each type of waste go, and through which disposal technology?
• Are MTRs and CDFs issued in SINIR, and how soon are they delivered to the generator?
• How are nonconformities handled, such as weight discrepancies or rejection at the destination?
• Which occupational safety practices are applied during collection and handling?

To understand the full service, from segregation at the source to final disposal, see industrial waste management. To compare treatment technologies, see industrial waste disposal.