Brazilian Industry Embraces Circular Economy with Circul.AI to Turn Waste into Profit

Brazilian industries are increasingly adopting circular economy practices to boost efficiency and sustainability, with a special focus on transforming industrial waste into new business opportunities. A key initiative in this effort is the recently launched Circul.AI program, which facilitates the reuse of industrial waste, byproducts, and excess materials through industrial symbiosis—where one company's waste serves as input for another.

The Circul.AI program is supported by the Program for Supporting the Competitiveness of Micro and Small Industries (Procompi), managed by the National Confederation of Industry (CNI) and Sebrae, and developed by the Federation of Industries of the Federal District. The first phase targets food, beverage, and grain processing sectors, and offers participating companies diagnostics, opportunity mapping, technical mentoring, consulting, and strategic connections accessed via a digital platform over eight months.

Olívia Krohn, Environmental and Sustainability Manager at Fibra, highlighted that the project aims to utilize waste and surplus materials beneficially across the industrial chain. Pedro Henrique Verano, 1st Vice President of Fibra, noted that sustainability has shifted from an institutional topic to a core competitiveness strategy, stating that it increasingly opens doors to new markets.

The program selects 20 companies for the initial phase, with applications open until May 8, 2026. Expected benefits include lowered disposal costs, optimized production resources, and the creation of innovative business ventures fostered by circular economy practices, positioning sustainability as a strategic industrial advantage in Brazil.