Circular economy in the Brazilian chemical industry: A proposal for a circularity index

Abstract

This study explores the circularity performance within Brazil's basic chemical (bulk organics and chemical processing) sector utilizing a comprehensive Circular Economy Index (CEI) and investigating its evolution between 2015 and 2019. Accordingly, the present study integrates an industrial perspective focusing on geographical variations and presents results that underline waste generation, recycling, energy consumption, and emissions across different states. The results revealed circular behaviors for basic chemicals, emphasizing concerns beyond emissions, such as waste and energy management. State-level analyses revealed consistent impacts of operations. Further analysis identified the strategic and institutional factors influencing CEI variation. Strategic factors included net sales revenue, improvements, and spending on people, with an unexpected inverse relationship between net sales revenue and CEI. The institutional factors include growth potential, social sustainability, innovation, and environmental sustainability. The results demonstrate the significant impacts of innovation and mixed effects on growth potential and socio-environmental sustainability, possibly linked to inadequate legislation and consumer perceptions. This study suggests that states that prioritize economic growth may neglect sustainability, requiring a nuanced approach to balance competitiveness and circularity goals. These findings emphasize the importance of government policies, stakeholder collaboration, and consumer awareness in fostering circular practices.