Brazil

Policy framework

National Plan to Combat Marine Litter (formulated in 2019)

Measures

The National Plan to Combat Marine Litter was launched on March 22, 2019, by the Ministry of the Environment and seeks to achieve two main purposes: Environmental Recovery and Prevention, based on 6 axes of implementation and 30 actions, focused on clear and achievable goals:

Prompt Answer

• Clean-up activities in the cities, beaches, mangroves and rivers;
• Installation recyclable material delivery spots in the cities;
• Installation and operation of “ecobarriers” (devices installed in rivers and canals that prevent waste from going into the ocean);

Waste Management

• Support municipalities in the elaboration of their solid waste management plans;
• Develop business plans for cooperatives of recyclable material collectors;
• Boost the implementation of selective collection of recyclable materials in coastal cities;

Research and Technological Innovation

• Map marine litter in Brazil;
• Create a unified database that can provide the capacity of understand the dynamics of marine litter in Brazil;
• Promote the development of new technologies.

Cross-sectoral Commitments

• Engage the private sector to implement sound practices;
• Evaluate mechanisms of bounty for fishermen, divers and beach users by the gathering and return of the marine litter.

Standardization and Guidelines

• Partnering with relevant sectors to update and create regulations to reduce marine litter;
• Develop specific strategies of waste management for public events on the coastal zone.

Communication and Education

• Create a website for sharing good practices and experiences on marine litter combat;
• Develop a communication plan;
• Develop an education program.

Achievements

• A total of 121 cleanup efforts were mapped along the Brazilian coast in 65 municipalities and 13 states, totaling 192,853.52 kilos of waste collected since the launch of National Plan.
• Approximately 25% of the Plan has been completed.
• The Brazilian government has allocated R$ 40 million towards the implementation of the Plan.

Best practices

• Clean ups
• Institutional support for the cleaning up of beaches, estuaries, rivers and lakes.
• Communication plan Development of a website for dissemination and exchange of experiences and good practices on cleaning beaches, riverbanks, pelagic environments, seaports and inland waters.
• Development of a national standardized protocol to assess marine litter.
• Solid Waste Management Technical support for local governments on solid waste management and selective waste collection.

Further information

• Marine Litter Combat Agenda http://www.mma.gov.br/agenda-ambiental-urbana/lixo-no-mar.html
• Marine litter board https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiYzBhY2MyYTAtMGVlMS00ZTM0LTk4OTAtZDgzMzk3M zhlZjIzIiwidCI6IjJiMjY2ZmE5LTNmOTMtNGJiMS05ODMwLTYzNDY3NTJmMDNlNCIsImMiOjF9