Circular Economy Audit Flowchart of Recycled Copper Waste

The circular economy of recycled copper waste involves multiple steps to transform waste into useful new products. The flowchart usually includes the following steps:

• Collection and sorting: copper waste is collected from different sources, such as industries, buildings and homes. They are then screened to separate the copper from other materials and to ensure that the copper is clean and free of impurities.
  

• Disassembly and Disassembly: The copper components are disassembled and disassembled to separate the copper parts. This may include removing coatings, solders and other components that are not pure copper.
  

• Grinding and Sieving: Disassembled copper is ground into small pieces and sieved to remove impurities and large particles.
  

• Purification: Ground copper is purified through chemical and physical processes to remove impurities and improve copper quality.
  

• Smelting: Purified copper is smelted to produce copper bars.
  

• Manufacturing: Copper bars are transformed into final products such as electrical cables, wires, bearings, etc.
  

• Marketing and distribution: final products are marketed and distributed to customers.

• Recycling: The cycle can start again, when copper products are collected and recycled again
  

Auditing the circular economy process of recycled copper waste involves assessing both the efficiency of the process and compliance with applicable regulations and standards. Some steps that can be included in an audit include:

• Documentation Verification: Verify process-related documentation, such as collection and sorting records, disassembly and disassembly reports, purification and smelting reports, etc. to ensure compliance with regulations and standards.

• Physical Inspection: Inspect facilities and equipment to ensure they are in good condition and are operating in accordance with applicable standards and regulations.
  

• Sample Analysis: Collect samples of recycled copper at different stages of the process and analyze them to ensure they meet quality and compliance standards.

• Checking Maintenance Records: Checking maintenance records to ensure equipment is being properly maintained and in compliance with regulations.

• Environmental performance assessment: assessing the environmental impact of the process, such as water and energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants, and ensuring that they are within the limits established by regulations.

• Regulatory Compliance Check: Verify that the process complies with applicable regulations and standards, including environmental, health and safety, and trade regulations.

• Verification of flows and records of movement of recycled material: to ensure that all recycled material is being registered and following the waste management standards established by Brazilian law.

• Indicator monitoring: monitor key indicators such as recycling rate, energy and water consumption, and environmental impact to assess process efficiency and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.

How important is it to evaluate the supply chain of copper residues?

Evaluating the supply chain of copper residues is important to guarantee the quality of the material, it is possible to verify if the collected material is really copper and if it is in good condition to be recycled. This ensures that the recycling process is efficient and that the recycled material is of adequate quality.

Assessing the supply chain is also a way to ensure regulatory compliance: by assessing the supply chain, it is possible to verify that waste sources are complying with environmental regulations and waste management regulations. This ensures that the recycling process is legal and responsible.

In addition, it is necessary to guarantee ethics and sustainability in the supply chain, avoiding the exploitation of workers, the reuse or extraction of natural resources in an irresponsible and illegal way.

How was the Ambipar Certification Audit process to grant IBRAME the Green Seal?

IBRAME underwent an independent audit process accredited by the CGCRE of INMETRO, which evaluated the following points:

1st PHASE of the Audit, evaluation of the regularity items of the enterprise;

In the 1st Phase audit, the available documents are checked, specifically those referring to the operating units, and the infrastructure that serves the company’s operations.

Evidently, licenses, permits, registrations, records and technical responsibilities are also evaluated, as well as reports and inventories directly linked to management and waste.

In the first phase, supplier approval data and their interaction with the process are also evaluated, as well as customer data.

2nd Audit Phase, process checks.

If the enterprise passes the first phase, it can go through the second phase of the evaluation.

In this audit, checklists dealing with: waste storage, waste transport, waste receivers, environmental impact controls, chemical management, environmental management items, circular economy and value chain are passed on.

The overall assessment is made up of 13 extremely detailed and up-to-date checklists.

Ambipar Certification is accredited as a Certification Body (OCP) by the General Coordination of Accreditation (CGRE) of Inmetro, being able to grant the Green Seal to companies from different segments. This seal attests that the institution has complied with the legislation — including the requirements of the National Policy on Solid Waste (PNRS) — and that it may have waste recovery and circular economy practices.