Neoenergia Cosern, Ambipar, and Heineken Spin: partnership brings glass collection to the Vale Luz project

Natal (RN), October 24 – Starting this Thursday (24), the people of Rio Grande do Norte will also be able to exchange glass for a discount on their energy bill. The Vale Luz project will begin accepting this waste, resulting from a partnership between Neoenergia Cosern, Ambipar, a Brazilian multinational leader in global environmental solutions, and Heineken Spin. The amount paid per kilogram of collected glass will be R$ 0.15. Various types of glass, such as beverage bottles, will be accepted. This initiative aims to contribute to changing consumer behavior towards the responsible disposal of packaging, while also promoting the circularity of glass locally and providing social benefits, as the material will be converted into discounts on the energy bills of Neoenergia Cosern customers.

To participate, customers must separate the glass – which needs to be clean and dry – inform their customer code (located in the upper right corner of the energy bill), and deliver it to one of the fixed service points of the project or during itinerant actions in the capital and other municipalities in the Metropolitan Region of Natal. The partnership between the companies strengthens and increases the reach of the Vale Luz project, which is part of the distributor’s Energy Efficiency Program, regulated by ANEEL (National Electric Energy Agency).

“The inclusion of glass as an additional accepted waste in Vale Luz reflects our commitment to expanding sustainable disposal options and promoting environmental awareness. By enabling the exchange for discounts on the energy bill, we aim to facilitate the adherence of the people of Rio Grande do Norte to more responsible practices and contribute to building a greener future for everyone,” states Ana Mascarenhas, Superintendent of Energy Efficiency at Neoenergia.

In addition to consumers who deliver glass to obtain discounts on their energy bill, recyclable material collectors can also participate in the action and receive the corresponding value for the material discarded in the project. The idea is for collectors to receive more for the waste they dispose of, the same amount practiced by the industry – which is fully passed on to the participants. “Currently, in the Vale Luz project, we have 168 registered collectors who regularly deliver PET bottles and aluminum cans, receiving approximately R$ 0.10 (ten cents) per can,” highlights the Superintendent of Energy Efficiency at Neoenergia.

Reverse logistics of the HEINEKEN Group in Rio Grande do Norte

Through this partnership, reverse logistics and proper disposal of post-consumer glass packaging will be carried out, which can now be collected by the Vale Luz project in the state. This complete sustainability cycle allows for the responsible disposal of glass. Glass, a material widely present in everyday life, has great recycling potential, although only 25% of all glass produced in Brazil is currently recycled.

“We have been focused on environmental solutions for nearly three decades, with the aim of helping other companies take care of the planet, aligning the environment and economic development. And we have been recycling glass for over 25 years. With this new partnership, we are optimistic about promoting the reverse logistics of this type of waste in the states of Bahia and Rio Grande do Norte, encouraging proper disposal so that it can be effectively reintegrated into the production cycle. This way, we can reduce waste and environmental impact,” explains Felipe Cury, head of post-consumption at Ambipar.

Other materials accepted by Vale Luz

In addition to glass, the Vale Luz project accepts the exchange of other waste for discounts on the energy bill. Among the accepted materials are aluminum cans, PET bottles, cardboard, office paper, newspapers, plastic bags, cleaning product packaging, soft drink cans, and other food product packaging and cooking oil (which must be filtered and delivered in a transparent PET bottle). These waste materials are weighed, and discounts are applied directly to the energy bill provided by the consumer. The main goal of Vale Luz is, in addition to reducing the energy bill amount, to promote the rational use of natural resources and minimize the negative impacts caused by waste, stimulating energy efficiency in recycling actions.

About the HEINEKEN Group

The HEINEKEN Group arrived in Brazil in May 2010, after acquiring the beer division of the FEMSA Group and, in 2017, acquired Brasil Kirin Holding S.A (“Brasil Kirin”), becoming the second player in the Brazilian beer market. The Group generates over 13,000 jobs and has 14 production units in the country, including 12 breweries, two microbreweries, and has also started construction on its 15th brewery in Passos (MG). In Brazil, the HEINEKEN Group’s beverage portfolio includes Heineken®, Eisenbahn, Eisenbahn Unfiltered, Sol, Baden Baden, Blue Moon, Lagunitas, Amstel, Amstel Ultra, Devassa, Devassa Tropicaê, Tiger, Bavaria, Glacial, Kaiser, No Grau, Schin, and Amstel Vibes. The non-alcoholic portfolio includes Heineken® 0.0, CLASH’D, FYS, Itubaína, Viva Schin, Skinka, and Água Schin. Headquartered in São Paulo, the company is a subsidiary of HEINEKEN NV, the largest brewery in Europe.

For more information, visit www.heinekenbrasil.com.br and follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn.

About Neoenergia Cosern: Recognized as the Best Distributor in the Northeast and the Third Best Distributor in Brazil by the Brazilian Association of Electric Energy Distributors (Abradee), it is present in 167 municipalities in Rio Grande do Norte. It has a concession area of 53 thousand square kilometers and serves 1.6 million customers (3.3 million inhabitants).  

About Ambipar

Ambipar is a Brazilian multinational and global leader in environmental solutions, investing in and operating decarbonization, circular economy, energy transition, and environmental regeneration projects, present in 40 countries and with more than 20,000 employees. The company has shares listed on the B3 (AMBP3) and on the New York Stock Exchange (AMBI). To learn more, click here.

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