Decarbonization and Water Management in the Rubber Industry

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Objective – To present and analyze the corporate Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions inventory of a natural rubber processing company, evaluating the impact of climate management actions and discussing the interconnection between decarbonization and water resource management from the perspective of the water-energy nexus.

Methodology – The case study quantified Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions for the years 2023 and 2024, using 2022 as a baseline. The methodology followed the guidelines of the Brazilian GHG Protocol Program, in accordance with ABNT NBR ISO 14064 and IPCC methods, contextualizing the results within the framework of integrated industrial effluent management.

Originality/Relevance – The work fills a gap by using a GHG inventory as a starting point for an integrated analysis of environmental impacts (atmospheric and hydric) in the rubber processing sector, an agro-industrial segment with intensive energy and water use. The relevance lies in applying the water-energy nexus concept to discuss sustainability strategies in a real operational context.

Results – Total emissions were 3,680.17 tCO2​e in 2023 and 3,464.52 tCO2​e in 2024. The elimination of Scope 2 emissions in 2024, through the acquisition of certified renewable energy (I-REC), shifted the focus to Scope 1 (97.8% of the total), mainly from combustion for heat generation. The analysis showed that this energy process is intrinsically linked to the water-based process of washing raw materials, making effluent management a central component of the plant's sustainability strategy.

Theoretical/Methodological Contributions – The study empirically demonstrates how a GHG inventory can transcend climate management and serve as a tool for integrated environmental management, connecting the decarbonization of process heat to water pollution and treatment. The water-energy nexus approach is applied to contextualize mitigation challenges and opportunities.

Social and Environmental Contributions – The research highlights a corporate strategy for decarbonizing electricity consumption and, simultaneously, fosters discussion on the need for clean technologies for thermal and water processes. This points to a path of reducing GHG emissions while mitigating water pollution, with the potential to improve the quality of local water bodies.