Recycling for energy discounts in Ceará

A program recognized by the UN for its relevance towards achieving the Millennium Goals is bringing environmental and economic benefits for communities in the state of Ceará, Northeast Brazil. Dubbed Green Bill (Conta Verde), the innovative project is part of an energy efficiency project called Ecoelce, created by the energy utility of Ceará (COELCE) to encourage customers to collect recyclable materials in exchange for rebates on their energy bills.

COELCE Environment Coordinator Sérgio Araújo says customers must be aware of the carbon dioxide emissions associated with using energy, especially “now that thermal plants are operating at full capacity in Brazil.” The purpose, he said, is to “promote better consumption practices and prevent waste, while encouraging environmental protection through recycling.”

Recyclables including aluminum, iron, plastic, glass, and paper can be dropped at designated collection centers in exchange for rebates on the energy bill. “A customer using energy efficiently and turning in all their recyclables will mitigate waste, and could even offset their carbon emissions. The Green Bill project is truly an environmental education initiative,” Araújo said.

COELCE carried out a survey to find out the rate of reduction in energy consumption levels involved in recycling. One of the findings is that in order to generate one kilo of aluminum, ten kilos of CO2 are emitted, compared to a mere 300 grams given off by the recycling process. “This is what we're taking into account when promoting emission offsets,” he said.

Retail and manufacturing businesses participate in the initiative as well as individual consumers. “All approximately 3.5 million COELCE customers can now tell their emission levels from their electricity bills and know that they can help offset those amounts through recycling.”

João Alves lives in an affordable housing area. He joined the recycling program ten months ago, and pays his energy bills with... garbage. “Green Bill helps me save money and now [that he knows his emissions] I feel even more motivated to protect the environment,” he said. “He offsets more than he uses,” Araújo told Agência Brasil. Conscious consumption details included in the energy bill let customers know how much they are offsetting their emissions up to 100%. “We want to make it as close as possible to 100%,” he said.

COELCE lets any other utilities interested in replicating the initiative free to emulate it. The program has provided benefits to 430,000 customers, collected about 18 tons of waste, and given out $850,000 worth of rebates on energy bills. Currently, Ecoelce relies on 102 collection centers in Ceará, including the capital Fortaleza.

Translated by Mayra Borges