CO2 EMISSIONS AND COSTS ESTIMATIVE IN THE REVERSE LOGISTIC SYSTEM OF RIO DE JANEIRO STATE

Abstract

The Reverse Logistics System (SLR) of electronic waste (e-waste or WEEE) is essential to reduce the impact of inadequate disposal and recycling of this type of waste. However, its execution also has intrinsic impacts, especially during transport, being susceptible to the limitations of the Brazilian road system and with the still dominant use of fossil fuels, responsible for high carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Thus, the present study aimed to calculate the CO2 emissions generated by transport related to the e-waste SLR in the state of Rio de Janeiro (RJ) and associated costs. The method used involves dimensioning the sphere of generation of these wastes in the state to define the generation hotspots that will be connected by transport routes to the recyclers, and based on the distances, calculate the CO2 emission and costs involved. In the adopted scenario, routes operated by diesel trucks were assumed. It was observed that the state can be divided into 3 clusters of routes, with the metropolitan region being the largest emitter as it presents greater e-waste generation. Overall, the state has the potential to emit around 49 tCO2e. per year in the SLR transporting operations, representing an approximate annual cost of R$ 175,000.00. Such values ​​can be reduced through more optimized transport routes and the use of less polluting fuels, such as the biodiesel. Finally, the method proved to be efficient in providing an understanding of the level of impact that transport can cause, thus enabling the establishment of actions for impact mitigation.