JBS recycles 6,000 tons of plastic waste through Ambiental
GLOBAL – JBS, one of the world’s largest meat producers, is recycling significant amounts of plastic waste through its business unit, Ambiental.
In 2024 alone, Ambiental processed 6,000 tons of plastic waste, bringing its total recycled volume to over 46,000 tons since it began operations more than a decade ago.
This amount would be enough to fill more than 18 Olympic-sized swimming pools with waste that did not end up in landfills.
The company has also increased its production of recycled resin, reaching 4,100 tons this year—a 12% rise compared to 2023.
This material is used to manufacture plastic bags, tarpaulins, packaging, pallets, furniture, tiles, and flooring, reducing the need for virgin raw materials.
Expanding Recycling and Market Reach
According to Thuany Taves, director of Ambiental, the unit has been working since 2017 to add value to plastic recycling.
She noted that between 2023 and 2024, the company expanded its market reach beyond JBS’s operations and strengthened its involvement in circular economy initiatives.
Approximately 80% of the plastic processed by Ambiental comes from JBS’s own business units, including Friboi, Seara, Swift, Couros, and Novos Negócios.
Of the total plastic recycled in the past year, 66% was converted into industrial inputs, while 34% was used to make plastic products.
In addition to plastic, Ambiental also manages the recycling and proper disposal of other waste materials, including paper, glass, metal, light bulbs, and batteries.
In 2024, the company handled approximately 30,000 tons of recyclable waste, overseeing the process from waste identification and separation to delivery at specialized recycling facilities.
Operations and Strategic Partnerships
Ambiental operates 23 facilities in Brazil, focusing on the management and treatment of both industrial and post-consumer waste from agribusiness.
These units, located in Goiás, Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso do Sul, São Paulo, and Paraná, serve as collection and processing centers where waste is sorted, classified, and shredded.
The processed materials are then transferred to Ambiental’s headquarters in Lins, São Paulo, where they are turned into resins and plastic products.
Beyond recycling and waste management, Ambiental collaborates with other companies to develop customized solutions for various types of plastics.
According to Taves, major corporations are increasingly seeking recycling and waste management partners, driven by environmental regulations and growing pressure to implement sustainable practices.
One such partnership led to the development of the Sustainable Big Bag, a solution for recycling large storage bags used in agribusiness.
In collaboration with Cibra and Infinity, Ambiental collects used fertilizer bags from farms, processes them into recycled resin, and produces new big bags, ensuring the material remains in use rather than being sent to landfills.
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