Brazil | MCTI project wants to reduce the use of disposable plastics in tourism

A report from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) warns that there is a need to drastically reduce the use of plastic to tackle the global ocean pollution crisis. If nothing is done, it is estimated that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050. To promote the reduction and potential elimination of the circulation of single-use or disposable plastics, such as straws, cutlery, disposable plates and packaging, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) is implementing a project to improve circularity in the food and beverage sector, primarily related to the tourism sector. For the project, MCTI raised US$9 million from the Global Environment Fund (GEF).

“This is a type of plastic that can potentially be eliminated”, assesses Rothier Siqueira, science and technology analyst at the General Coordination of Sciences for the Ocean and Antarctica at MCTI.

According to him, this type of plastic is used on a large scale in the tourism segment. “If they can avoid using it, so much the better. But if you need to use it, let a virtuous cycle of recycling be established”, he adds, in reference to the concept of the four “Rs” of sustainability: reduce, reuse, recycle and rethink.