Approved by Conama, resolution that allows burning of agrochemicals packages comes into effect

After the minister of the Environment, Ricardo Salles, used the 135th meeting of the National Environment Council (Conama) to revoke fundamental measures for environmental protection, the new rule established at the meeting on burning of pesticide packaging came into force on October, 9th. Now, the material, as well as pesticide residues, can be incinerated in industrial ovens for the production of cement, eliminating previous determinations that defined the proper environmental disposal of this material. For specialists heard by the G1 portal, the ovens are not suitable for burning, as they can release soot and gases harmful to people and animals into the air.

Other measures established by Conama have not yet been made official, such as the suspension of resolutions 302 and 303, both from 2002, concerning the protection of mangroves and sandbank vegetation. After the Supreme Federal Court (STF) summoned Salles to provide information about the decision, the minister signed off on a document from the Ministry of Environment’s technicians claiming that “there is no harm to the environment” with the new rules. Resolution 284 (2001) is also in dispute at the supreme court. The resolution ends federal rules for the environmental licensing of agricultural irrigation projects, answering a demand from part of the agribusiness sector.