Sustainability

The companies of the Aço Cearense Group work carefully on the management of their waste and environmental legal controls, with the aim of guaranteeing the best performance, full monitoring of the destinations and reductions of the waste generated, as well as compliance with all legal obligations.

The Group is the largest steel recycler in the Brazilian Northeast and works under the Circular Economy perspective. At SINOBRAS, steel production is made with 70% of scrap and 30% of liquid pig iron. SINOBRAS Florestal, another company of the Group located in São Bento do Tocantins (TO), is a supplier of bioenergy reducer, with 16 of its own eucalyptus farms, in an area of over 40 thousand hectares.

The company has two Bioenergy Reducer Production Units with a production capacity of 25,500 cubic meters. It has 46 rectangular furnaces, which mitigate environmental impacts and produce the bioenergy reducer used by SINOBRAS. Contributing to the socioeconomic growth of the region, SINOBRAS Florestal generates around 200 direct jobs and, during planting, other employees are added for seasonal operations.

The conscious use of natural resources is an important guideline for SINOBRAS Florestal, which adopts a responsible stance towards environmental and social values, ranging from caring for the environment to improving the quality of life of people in the region where it operates.
Examples of actions and projects implemented by Grupo Aço Cearense that reinforce this philosophy of sustainability include:

• Waste management – in its companies, the Group applies methodologies with the aim of improving performance and monitoring the disposal and reduction of waste generated. At SINOBRAS, the sintering process reuses the by-products generated during the steel production process to produce sinter, a raw material used as a substitute for iron ore in the production of pig iron.
• Reverse logistics is another environmental preservation practice carried out by Grupo Aço Cearense, applied to batteries, which, after their use is complete, are sent to the manufacturer and disposed of correctly. The same happens with tires, which are sent to recycling points.
• The disposal of lubricating oils after use is done by re-refining used or contaminated lubricating oil (OLUC). This process transforms used oil into base oil again, through partner companies, preventing this hazardous waste from being discarded into the environment.
• Concern for water use has been present since the beginning of operations in its companies, through a robust system of collection, treatment, recirculation, water cooling towers and decantation tanks, which guarantee the recirculation of water used in industrial processes. In 2018, the mark of 98.35% of water recirculated in the processes was reached.
• Implementation of the Reciclo Project, with the aim of consolidating selective collection in the Aço Cearense Group, which includes activities of waste characterization, adaptation of areas, employee training, monitoring of results and internal audits;
  Tree seedling donation actions with employees and in various communities where they live and in which the company operates.

Investment in social actions is also a constant for the Group, which, through the Instituto Aço Cearense, has already invested more than R$28.5 million in favor of the development of Ceará, Pará and Tocantins, benefiting more than 143 institutions and totaling more than 454 thousand people.

The work of the Instituto Aço Cearense goes beyond financial support for entities that serve people in situations of social vulnerability.

In addition to the institutions, he also supports employees of Grupo Aço Cearense companies who stand out in sports and carries out campaigns with various solidarity actions, such as collecting clothes, personal hygiene products, food and toys.

The Institute also supports entrepreneurship through Junior Achievement (JA) Ceará, a non-profit educational association that aims to awaken the entrepreneurial spirit in young people. JA Ceará offers 25 educational programs, benefiting children, adolescents and adults.

The Aço Cearense Group makes its products available to all Brazilian states, with agility and high quality products. True to its values, it seeks to exceed its customers' expectations with customized solutions that meet their needs.