📋 Tender Overview
The federal government published in the Federal Official Gazette on Wednesday (7/5) that provides for the possibilities of importing solid waste by Brazilian industry, with limits for some materials established by quotas. The revoke previous decree on the subject (No. 12.438/25, of April 17, 2025), meeting the claims of the pickers and collectors of recyclable materials and observing the needs of industry and fostering the circular economy.
The new decree aims to regulate the first paragraph of article 49 of the National Solid Waste Policy (Law No. 12.305, of August 2, 2010), which deals with the importation of waste used in the transformation of strategic materials and minerals for national development. The article was modified by Law 15,088 of January 6, 2025, which brought exceptions to the prohibition of importation of solid waste.
After successive meetings with all the ministries involved and the national entities of the farmers and waste pickers, the federal government has established the new text, which will provide safety to industry and without risks of damage to the activity and income of these workers or the circular economy. From it, it is estimated that there will be a reduction of more than 90% of the importation of materials that constitute much of the income of Brazilian waste pickers-cardboard, glass, PET plastic, aluminum and iron. The measure also establishes technical, economic and environmental criteria for importation.
The Executive Management Committee of the Foreign Trade Chamber (GECEX) may, in specific cases, set quantitative limits for the importation of these waste in consultation at least to the National Circular Economy Forum and the Interministerial Committee for the Socioeconomic Inclusion of Pickers and Pickers of Reusable and Recyclable Materials (CISC). To address the theme, the National Forum will institute working group with collectors, recycling companies, industry and ministries. Similarly, the CISC will have a specific working group for this.
The Decree also prohibits waste import operations use reverse logistics recycling credit certificates, general packaging structuring and recycling certificates and future mass credit certificates. Such instruments are restricted to issuance to waste generated in the national territory.
Ordinance to be jointly published by the Ministries of Environment and Climate Change, Development, Industry, Commerce and Services, General Secretariat of the Presidency and Civil House will detail which materials may be imported, and those who even authorized will be subject to quotas to be established by GECEX. The ministries involved are finalizing the ordinance for immediate publication.
