Solvay Paulínia's first initiatives aimed at biodiversity conservation took place in the 1990s, with efforts to reforest the Atlantic Forest located in its industrial complex and the launch of the Open Doors (Portas Abertas) program, where students of the community visit the site and participate in educational activities. In the 2000s, Solvay began to develop these actions in a more structured manner, specifically a program that encompasses the projects listed below. It is worth noting that, unlike most companies, which only perform what is required by law, all activities developed within the scope of our Biodiversity Program are either 100% voluntary or go beyond what is required by law.
Forests - Legal Forest Project
This project, which began in 2017, will continue until 2028. It involves planting and managing 34,000 native seedlings, creating a 20.2-hectare forest in 12 years. Each year, we plant 3,400 new seedlings.
Before this initiative, as part of the project to expand the production capacity of the Phenol Factory (internally called Projeto Carol), we had already planted 17,000 native seedlings between 2007 and 2009, creating a forest of 8.3 hectares. These seedlings were provided by the PCJ* Consortium as part of the cooperation agreement signed in 2007 to restore the banks of the rivers that cross the Rhodia area.
To support us in the reforestation actions, we sought the expertise of an agronomist. Since 2017, he has been advising us on the best practices for implementing and maintaining the Forest Reserve Project.
* The PCJ Consortium is a non-profit civil association, composed of 25 companies and 42 municipalities in the interior of São Paulo, covered by the Piracicaba, Capivari, and Jundiaí River basins. Its mission is to promote regional integration, environmental awareness, and promote actions to preserve and restore river habitats. Solvay was one of the first companies to join the consortium in 1996.
Rivers – Recmar Project
Carried out in 2013, this project involved the recovery of the banks of the Anhumas river, which runs through the Rhodia industrial complex, by replanting riparian forest and covering a total area of 1,297 m2. The initiative contributes to the quality of water resources, prevents silting of the watercourse and preserves biodiversity. For this project, we hired a geologist as a consultant, who supported us in the design and development of the structure.
Fish
We built a fish ladder on a stretch of the Atibaia River that passes through the Solvay Paulínia complex to ensure their piracema (seasonal migration for reproduction). To develop this project, we hired a specialized biologist as a consultant. Construction was completed in 2002 and we currently perform annual maintenance on the structure.
Mammals – Capybara Protection Project
Among the mammal species found in the Rhodia complex, capybaras represent the largest number. In order to protect them, in 2016 we installed fences to prevent them from entering industrial areas that are dangerous for them, such as traffic lanes, tanks, and pipelines.
Reptiles and amphibians
We implemented a system to capture snakes, lizards, and amphibians found in the industrial plant and relocate them to preserved areas of the Atlantic Forest. By doing this, we protect both the animals, which could be trampled or run over by trucks and other vehicles that pass through the complex, as well as our employees and visitors, since some of the reptiles are venomous. The work began in 2018 and is conducted by the Emergency Control team (Fire Department), based on technical criteria and with appropriate instruments. To carry out this activity, our team was trained by a specialized company.
Preservation of Native Brazilian Stingless Bees
The Paulínia Site hosts 16 hives of native stingless bees, distributed in four different locations on the site. The intention is to work on multiplying these hives over the years and bring an increasing presence of stingless bees to the site. To achieve this, Rhodia hired a meliponiculturist (Brazilian native beehive keeper), who supports the project by assessing the health of the hives and performing monthly maintenance. Native bees are essential for maintaining biodiversity, food production, and human life, since more than 70% of the plant species cultivated in the world are pollinated by some species of bee. Brazil is one of the countries with the greatest diversity of bees, with more than 300 species of stingless bees that can be raised safely. Raising and preserving these bees through multiplicative management are sustainable activities, since natural environments benefit from the presence of those species, as there is an increase in the availability of pollinators.