Brazil Enacts Law Mandating the Use of Recycled Plastics in Packaging: 22% by 2026, 30% by 2030, and 40% by 2040
Recently, the Brazilian federal government issued a landmark Decree No. 12,688, setting mandatory targets for the recycling and utilization rates of plastic packaging. The decree is now in effect nationwide.
The decree requires that by 2026, the recycling rate of all single-use plastic packaging products (such as plates, cutlery, cups, and straws) must reach 32%; by 2040, this recycling rate should further increase to 50%.
The decree also stipulates the proportion of recycled materials that manufacturers of plastic products and packaging must use, requiring that the proportion of recycled plastics used in new plastic products reach 22% by 2026, and increase to 40% by 2040. These regulations also apply to importers.
The enactment of this decree aims to establish a nationwide reverse logistics management system for plastic packaging. This is the first time Brazil has implemented such regulations.
According to data from Oceana, an international marine conservation organization, Brazil is the world's eighth-largest plastic polluter, with approximately 1.3 million tons of plastic ending up in the ocean each year. The new law also shifts the responsibility for waste plastic disposal from scavengers to producers and importers, and the National Environment Ministry will formulate implementation details within 90 days.
