Conscientious use of resources

The Materials aspect is more significant for the operations of Construtora Norberto Odebrecht, Braskem, Odebrecht Agroindustrial and Odebrecht Environmental due to the quantities used in their production processes. The management of the issue is decentralized, and the Holding Company is responsible for monitoring the indicators.

Odebrecht Agroindustrial’s main inputs are water, agricultural products (fertilizers, correctives, herbicides), industrial products (sulfuric acid, lime, soda), fuels and electricity. The main raw material is sugarcane. During the 2015-2016 harvest, there was an increase in the amount of materials consumed due to higher production and, consequently, the amounts of processed sugarcane. In addition, the Business introduced more stringent controls of the uses and indication of quantities used in relation to the past. Its Units have been significantly improving their production, process quality and techniques, seeking to extract the maximum from the sugarcane plantations, which is reflected in the increase in processed cane and higher production. Other materials, such as herbicides and insecticides, showed an increase in consumption, mainly explained by improvements in the cane fields and pest outbreaks, such as the spittlebug.

Within Construtora Norberto Odebrecht, the consumption and disposal of materials is managed individually at each construction site, where the most appropriate solution is utilized. One example is the use of the Bubbledeck system, a technology that reduces the volume of concrete used in structural slabs by 35% without impairing the functions and performance for which it was designed. In addition to minimizing the production of solid waste, this solution reduces the consumption of water, wood, steel and cement, also minimizing greenhouse gas emissions.

In 2015, Construtora Norberto Odebrecht used 15,182 cubic meters of recycled wood, equivalent to 12% of the total amount of that input consumed in the year. G4-EN2Click for more information on this aspect in the GRI Content Index

Water G4-DMAClick for more information on this aspect in the GRI Content Index

Efficiency and conscientious water consumption are an integral part of the operations of all Odebrecht Businesses. However, the initiatives of Odebrecht Environmental, Odebrecht Agroindustrial and Braskem are among the highlights.

At Odebrecht Environmental’s units, attention is focused on reducing losses and internal consumption by optimizing production processes and improving the distribution network. The company is the largest private provider of water and sewage treatment in Brazil, serving approximately 17 million people in 179 municipalities. In addition, it is a pioneer in the supply of recycled water for industrial use, serving major Clients in sectors such as steel, petroleum, petrochemical and pulp & paper. As a result, it helps in the management of those companies’ environmental issues, employing sustainable methods and technologies in water and effluent treatment and reuse, and environmental monitoring. Of the total water consumed in 2015, 37.9% came from recycling and reuse. That figure includes the number of Client-Users (individuals and industries) and internal use (all water used in the processes of treatment of water, sewage, waste area and Utilities).

In the Group’s agroindustrial operations, water is an essential productive input and its consumption in sugarcane milling is monitored by an eco-indicator published weekly. Adaptations and increase of efficiency in the process in the 2015-2016 harvest reduced the total amount of the indicator of 1.13 m³ per ton of cane reached in the previous harvest by 11.5%. Reuse through the recycling of water in the industrial process corresponded to 43.9% of the total captured.

Braskem consumed 4.05m³ of water per ton produced was consumed in 2015, which was a 1.6% improvement over the stipulated target for the year (4.11m3/t). In absolute terms, Braskem consumed 66.2 million m³ of water in 2015, representing a reduction of 0.7% compared to 2014. (More information can be found in the company’s annual report, accessible at www.braskem.com.br.)