Artemyn celebrates Amazon Day by initiative in partnership with ComBio
combining sustainability, income generation and environmental impact reduction.
One of the largest waste products in the açaí production chain, the fruit pit, is becoming a renewable energy source in the Artemyn industrial facility in Brazil in partnership with ComBio, Brazil’s leading supplier of renewable thermal energy for industry, from biomass and renewable electricity.
Açaí fruit pits are used as biomass in the kaolin processing plant in Barcarena, Brazil. The initiative has already reused more than 153 thousand tons of açaí seeds, avoiding the emission of about 265 thousand tons of CO₂ equivalent in the environment.
Barcarena city, one of the state’s açaí production hubs, has for years faced the problem of irregular disposal of pits, which often ended up in conservation areas, riverbeds, and illegal landfills. With the new circular economy model, this waste now finds a sustainable destination and also boosts the local economy, generating income for collectors, transporters, and small businesses involved in the logistics and resale of the material.
The biomass from the açaí seed has already replaced 40% of the thermal matrix of Artemyn in Barcarena, which represents about 1,000 tons/month, reducing costs and dependence on fossil fuels. Logistics include waste collection directly from points of sale and pulping, transportation by munck trucks, and delivery to processing centers.
Since 2015, the partnership with ComBio has transformed an environmental problem into an opportunity for the company to have a cleaner energy source while providing income generation for the community. The solution in conjunction with our initiatives to improve our thermal efficiencies, show with actions the company’s commitments to sustainability and the energy transition in the Amazon region.
The project, which is already inspiring other industries in the Amazon region, can be replicated in new businesses focused on decarbonization. ComBio, in turn, maintains rigorous approval and control processes for biomass suppliers, ensuring good labor, safety, and sustainability practices throughout the supply chain.
