Waste-to-Energy: Reuse of Oil Spilled on the Brazilian Coast in 2019 Through Co-Processing

In August 2019, one of Brazil’s largest environmental disasters occurred as a result of a crude oil spill from an oil tanker between August 2019 and March 2020, reaching the northeastern and southeastern coastal regions of the country, known as the Blue Amazon. Eleven states, 130 municipalities, and 1,009 localities were affected, in addition to 10 ecosystems, more than 57 protected areas, and 34 animal species. Despite the extreme circumstances, the disaster did not receive a timely response from the federal government, and this inaction led to more significant long-term consequences, such as the compromise of preservation areas and the temporary suspension of artisanal fishing, damaging the livelihoods of thousands of residents in the affected localities. The waste was mostly collected by volunteer citizens and reused for energy recovery in co-processing as an alternative fuel in cement kilns. Around 5,379.76 tons of waste were collected, most of which were sent to cement industries. It was found that a large amount of the collected oil was reused energetically as fuel in co-processing industries. The present article is a descriptive case report and aims to analyze and offer an overview of the energy reuse of oil collected after spills in co-processing activities. Primary data were obtained from official reports, while secondary data were acquired through a literature review. The results showed that reusing oil collected from spills in the cement industry was considered an alternative for waste destination instead of disposal in landfills, and new destinations could be implemented by environmental organisms.