Modalities of packaging reverse logistics in Brazil, Federal Decree No. 11,413, February 13, 2023

Abstract

This article addresses the modalities recently regulated by Federal Decree No. 11,413 of February 13, 2023, to enable the reverse logistics of post-consumer packaging in Brazil: compensation, structuring, and future mass. The study analyzed documentary data from electronic portals of management entities and independent verifiers operating in the national market. The results revealed that the modality called “compensation” serves as a payment mechanism for environmental services, in which those responsible for pollution pay cooperatives, associations, or other logistical agents of recyclable materials to provide services that include the collection, sorting, and environmentally friendly final disposal. The “structuring” modality focuses on optimizing the existing chain’s operational structure through financial investments ranging from acquiring equipment to supporting accounting, legal, and technical aspects. Meanwhile, the “future mass” modality involves financial investments to implement new systems where these do not yet exist or are incipient, ranging from establishing selective collection to structuring associations and cooperatives. Based on the results obtained, it is possible to infer that these modalities have attributes that can increase the efficiency of reverse logistics for post-consumer packaging in Brazil. Additionally, it was observed that the isolated implementation of each modality does not result in substantial advances. However, when integrated, these modalities complement each other as each one offers specific advantages and benefits suitable to meet the different particularities of each Brazilian region.