The “Virtual Cycle” program in Brazil is a leading example of collaboration among value chain partners to achieve substantial environmental benefits. DuPont offered two unique engagements
- A partnership with other companies to improve the management of agricultural chemical containers throughout the life cycle, and
- An offering of DuPont™ Fusabond® , a resin which increases the recyclability of dissimilar materials into high value products like rigid and flexible corrugated pipes and automotive lubricant bottles.
The research team enabled DuPont to offer a formulation recommendation that delivered the performance properties needed for these higher value applications. DuPont and other manufacturers created the National Institute for the Processing of Empty Packaging (inPEV), a non-profit organization, to develop a system to collect empty containers and to encourage companies to recycle the materials.
Brazil is now a leader in recycling of used agrichemical packaging with a collection rate of 95 percent. Since the start of the system, more than 150,000 tons of empty agricultural chemical packages have been collected and recycled - equivalent to 374,000 barrels of crude oil or over 160,000 tons of CO2 equivalent emissions. The success with Fusabond® as a recycling enabler in Brazil as opened up new business growth opportunities that are being extended to other geographies.
Grant Recipient: The team has chosen the CEPAC, an organization that promotes personal growth, social and cultural development for children and young people of 11 to 17 years, as its grant recipient.