Rigesa wins the Ecology Expressão Award in two categories - Oct 20, 2008 - 4:28:00 PM

Rigesa won the 16th Ecology Expressão Award (Prêmio Expressão de Ecologia) in two categories: Production Input Conservation ¿ Energy, with the project ¿CF3: Technology for Environmental Preservation¿; and Environmental Education, with the Rigesa Environmental Education Program.
Promoted by the publishing house Editora Expressão, the award had a record number of contesters this year with more than 160 projects submitted to the Panel. The Ecology Expressão Award is the most prestigious environmental award in the South of Brazil, with focus on corporate environmental action.
A new category - Environmental Action - was created as a prize in connection with the Mata Atlantica Forest Dialogue initiative. The initiative is a national discussion involving industry players, entities, NGOs and prestigious environmentalists in order to create joint solutions for the sustainable development of the environment. Rigesa is one of the signatory entities of the initiative from its inception in 2005.
The winning projects were selected by a panel comprised by a group of environmentalists and environment experts.
In 1996, Rigesa was the winner in the fourth edition of the award in the Environmental Education category with the Learning with Trees Project (the PACA)
The winning cases will be included in the Anuário Expressão de Ecologia 2008, an annual publication with focus on environmental action. The publication will bring a comprehensive outlook of environmental initiatives in the South and the current topics being discussed on the environment.
About the project ¿CF3: Technology for Environmental Preservation¿
The CF3 power boiler has improved efficiency when burning industrial residues by reducing air emissions and producing energy that is ecologically feasible. As compared to other boilers the CF3 replaced at the Rigesa Três Barras paper mill, there was a drop in solid residue volumes (i.e., the ashes generated in the boiler) by more than 76%. This means the elimination of approximately 29 thousand cubic meters of solid residues each year in the industry. The yearly residue emission reduction is 69%, i.e., the emission now totals 5,500 tons a year as opposed to an earlier emission of 18 thousand tons a year.
Below is a summary of the results obtained upon the start up of the CF3 boiler
- a 76% reduction in solid residues;
- the elimination 29 thousand cubic meters in solid residues;
- a 66% reduction in the emission of particulate matter;
- a 94% reduction in SO2 emission;
- Potential production of 25 MWH;
- Considerable savings in the use of fossil fuels;
- Potential savings in electric energy use from the utility carrier;
- Better use of residues in the organization's production chain;
- Potential for co-generation;
- Potential to trade carbon credits in the CCX;
- Additional electric energy supply for regional development;
- Social benefits due to potential supply of electric energy.
About Rigesa Environmental Education Program
Rigesa Environmental Education program is based on education and transfer of knowledge. The company believes it contributes to the education of individuals that will have an impact on environmental preservation and environmental awareness.
The program includes a number of actions, such as the Project Learning Tree (PACA); the Rigesa Environmental Education Seminar, which trains educators in all cities where the company operates from the South to the North of the country; the Rigevida Environmental Education Journal, distributed to more than 40 thousand children; the School Monitoring; Rigesa Environmental education Award, which awards and values environmental education projects developed by schools that signed up with the Program.
The goal of the Rigesa Environmental Education program is to promote environmental education techniques that will lead to increase environmental action on a daily basis. With this initiative, schools have developed environmental education projects throughout the years. Many of them have shown promising results, both in terms of education and in terms of visible transformation in the local environments.
About the Ecology Expressão Award
The Ecology Expressão Award was created in 1993 by Editora Expressão one year after the UN Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro (the Eco 92). Back then, non-tariff trade barriers began to prevail on the back of a correct environmental attitude. The European Community had launched the environmental seal without which no products could be exported to this coveted market. In Brazil, the Southern states were great exporters and its three states featured among the five top Brazilian exporters.
In the eighties, Brazilian businessmen reacted negatively to environmental requirements under the allegation that it increased their costs. However, the pressure put by communities and the penalties applied by environmental regulators changed this outlook.
From its first edition in January 1990 Expressão magazine focused on the green factor as a strong trend in its universe and was the first business magazine to feature a cover story on the environmental recovery projects conducted by businesses. Upon the creation of the Ecology Expressão Award, the goal was to develop a project that was not focused on the delivery of politically or commercially based awards, followed by lunch parties that meant little in terms of results. The winners would be businesses with a model environmental management. Award coordinator Antonio Odilon Macedo, who is also secretary-general of the ecology committee of the Associação Brasileira de Engenharia Sanitária e Ambiental, nominated a strong, meaningful panel of jurors.
In its 15 years, 1,208 cases were submitted to the panel from business, NGOs, local governments and other entities in the Southern region. Each year the award has had a greater number of contestants and its award ceremonies have gained importance among the Southern communities.