Have you ever wondered what happens to the products you discard after use? For many of us, these items simply disappear from our lives, but the truth is, they leave a significant environmental footprint. That's where the Reverse Logistics Policy comes in. Maybe you've never heard of it, but this is an increasingly important initiative to ensure that the products we consume don't end up polluting the environment, especially when it comes to environmental stewardship and the circular economy. Reverse logistics is defined as a set of actions aimed at enabling the collection and return of solid waste to the business sector, for reuse in its cycle or in other production cycles, or for another environmentally appropriate final destination.

In several countries, reverse logistics is a public policy established and regulated by law. In the European Union, for example, the reverse logistics policy is one of the main tools to promote the circular economy and reduce the environmental footprint. The European Union Waste Directive establishes targets for waste collection and recycling, as well as shared product lifecycle responsibility between manufacturers, importers, distributors, traders and consumers. Japan is another country that has a very well-established reverse logistics policy. The country's Waste Recycling Law requires companies to collect and recycle certain types of waste, such as plastic bottles, batteries, household appliances and tires. In addition, the Japanese government encourages reuse and recycling through subsidy and tax-exempt programs.

The Reverse Logistics Policy can contribute significantly to achieving the goals of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established by the United Nations (UN) for all member countries. The action is directly related to at least four of the SDGs, which are:

• SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities: Reverse logistics can help promote sustainable cities by ensuring that waste is properly managed and reducing negative impacts on the environment and public health.

• SDG 12 – Responsible consumption and production: The Reverse Logistics Policy can contribute to reducing the consumption of natural resources, through the reuse and recycling of materials, as well as to the reduction of waste generation.

• SDG 13 – Action against global climate change: Action can contribute to the mitigation of climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from inadequate waste disposal.

• SDG 15 – Land life: The Reverse Logistics Policy is also related to the conservation of land life, as it reduces pressure on natural resources and the extraction of raw materials.

Thus, the adoption of a reverse logistics policy can be an important instrument for countries to achieve the goals of the SDGs, promoting sustainable development and a circular economy, in which resources are used more efficiently and responsibly.

Brazilian States Have Regulated Reverse Logistics Policy

In Brazil, the National Solid Waste Policy (PNRS) was established by Law 12,305/10 and has as its main objectives the non-generation, reduction, reuse and treatment of solid waste, the environmentally appropriate final destination of waste, the reduction of of natural resources in the process of producing new products, intensifying environmental education actions, increasing recycling in the country, promoting social inclusion and generating employment and income for collectors of recyclable materials.

The Ministry of the Environment has identified the main aspects of the PNRS, which are in line with modern concepts of solid waste management. Among them are:

• Sectorial Agreement, which is a contractual act signed between the government and manufacturers, importers, distributors or traders, with a view to implementing shared responsibility for the product's life cycle;
• Shared responsibility for the life cycle of products, which involves a set of attributions of manufacturers, importers, distributors and traders, consumers and holders of public urban cleaning services and solid waste management;
• Reverse Logistics, which is an instrument of economic and social development, which aims to enable the collection and return of solid waste to the business sector for reuse in its cycle or in other production cycles, or other environmentally appropriate final destination;
• Selective collection, which is the collection of solid waste previously segregated according to its constitution or composition;
• Product Life Cycle, a series of steps involving product development, obtaining raw materials and inputs, the production process, consumption and final disposal;
• Information System on Solid Waste Management – SINIR, which aims to store, process and provide information that supports the functions or processes of an organization.

After 21 years of discussion in the National Congress, the law entered into force and now includes the Reverse Logistics System (SLR). The SLR establishes that all companies that place glass, paper, cardboard, plastic and metal packaging on the market must compensate for at least 22% the entire mass of these packaging consumed by society, collecting these packaging for recycling.

The Reverse Logistics System is already being implemented in several Brazilian states, such as São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Mato Grosso do Sul and Paraná. In 2022, Piauí became the first state in the Northeast to join the SLR, followed by Pernambuco and Paraíba. More recently, in April 2023, it was the turn of the State of Goiás to announce its adherence to the SLR, through the publication of Decree 10,255, which regulates the Reverse Logistics Policy in the state and establishes the ReciclaGoiás program. This initiative determines that Goiás industries, importers, distributors and traders are responsible for paying for the recycling of at least 22% of recyclable packaging, including glass, plastic, metal and cardboard, which are placed on the market. This effort aims to stimulate the circular economy and contribute to the preservation of the environment in Goiás.

The Solid Waste Plans also include steps to be developed with broad social participation, containing national goals and strategies on the subject, as well as state, micro-regional, metropolitan region plans, inter-municipal and municipal plans for integrated solid waste management and plans for waste management. All these plans aim to establish guidelines and goals for the proper management of solid waste, based on the principles of the PNRS.

Reverse logistics is a process that requires cooperation and commitment between all sectors involved, from production to the final disposal of waste. In addition, it is important that society also engages and contributes to the success of the reverse logistics policy, adopting conscious consumption practices and proper waste separation. Implementing reverse logistics is not an easy task, but it is an important step towards building a more sustainable and conscious society. It is an opportunity to rethink the way we consume and dispose of products, and to promote real changes that benefit not only the environment, but also the health and quality of life of the population.