Transforming Waste into Energy, Sustainability and Economic Development

Edvar Silva is the Operational Manager at Reversa do Brasil, with more than 23 years of experience in industrial operations, manufacturing, quality systems, inventory management and continuous improvement. He has held leadership roles at companies including Foxconn, Flextronics, Compal, Tecsat Aeroespacial and Solectron Brasil. With qualifications in Postgraduate Degree in Production Engineering, he has contributed to ISO and ERP system implementations while participating in over hundreds of Kaizen projects across Brazil and Mexico. In 2015, he established a used vegetable oil collection ecosystem supporting sustainable biofuel production.

Circular economy, traceability and environmental awareness drive the transformation of vegetable oil into biofuel

Growing global concern regarding sustainability, climate change and the circular economy has encouraged us to develop innovative environmental solutions in Brazil. In this context, at Reversa do Brasil, we have been establishing ourselves as a regional reference in the collection, management, treatment and proper disposal of waste, especially waste vegetable oil, transforming an environmental liability into raw material for biofuel production.

We work with small, medium and large waste generators, collecting waste from bars, restaurants, pastry shops, fishing lodges, snack bars, supermarkets, food industries, as well as schools and universities through environmental eco-points.

More than simply collecting waste, we strongly invest in environmental awareness. Before installing ecopoints in educational institutions, we conduct educational lectures addressing:

• proper disposal of vegetable oil;

• environmental impacts caused by improper disposal;

• water and soil contamination;

• social, economic and environmental benefits of recycling.

The entire process begins with logistical and operational planning.

“Collection is carried out by replacing full containers with empty and sanitized ones, ensuring safety, standardization and operational control throughout the entire chain,” explains Edvar Silva, Director and Co-Founder of Reversa do Brasil.

Upon arriving at our facility, all containers and trucks are weighed and directed to the quality control area, where specific analyses are conducted according to each supplier's profile.

Subsequently, the material undergoes screening, solid waste separation, treatment, processing and filtration. After processing, new analyses verify impurity and moisture levels. Only after meeting technical specifications is the oil sent to storage for later forwarding to the biofuel production chain.

The entire process guarantees full traceability, legal security and environmental compliance from beginning to end.

Transforming Waste into Clean Energy

The transformation of used cooking oil into biodiesel occurs through a chemical process known as transesterification. In this process, vegetable oil reacts with an alcohol, usually ethanol or methanol, in the presence of a catalyst, separating glycerin and forming biodiesel.
The result is a renewable fuel, less polluting and aligned with global greenhouse gas emission reduction goals.

In addition to ensuring proper disposal, we also encourage community and business participation by exchanging used vegetable oil for detergent, strengthening environmental awareness and promoting sustainable practices.

Sustainability Aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Proper disposal of vegetable oil directly contributes to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including:

• water protection;

• soil preservation;

• reduction of air pollution;

• job and income generation;

• strengthening of the circular economy;

• promotion of environmental education.

The social impact is also significant. Many families directly depend on collection activities for income and livelihood.

According to Valquíria Manuel, Financial and Commercial Director of Reversa do Brasil, the entire operational and financial flow is monitored daily with transparency and responsibility.

"Everything is monitored daily, not only collections in each location, but also the entire purchasing, payment and traceability process. It is a commitment we have with every supplier and partner," she highlights.

Our operational model and the economic and environmental impacts of transforming vegetable oil into biofuel have already crossed borders. The project was presented at an international engineering congress held in Greece, reinforcing the scientific and environmental relevance of the work we develop.

In a continental-sized country like Brazil, where biofuel plants are mainly concentrated in the states of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul, logistical and tax-related challenges remain significant. Even so, we believe initiatives such as ours demonstrate that innovation, sustainability and environmental responsibility can work together to build a cleaner and more efficient future.