Duratex considers environmental management as part of its quality program and, therefore, invests heavily on the improvement of manufacturing conditions along with a high level of environmental sustainability and respect to human being. In addition to conserving its own environmental areas, the Company fosters, on a regular basis, awareness programs aimed at its employees and the public in general, on the importance of caring for the environment.

The investments on the environmental area can be synthesized by certifications and re-certifications of forestlands, protection of biodiversity and ecosystems present in its forests, environmental education programs acquisitions of filters and equipment for controlling atmospheric emissions, the construction of Effluent Treatment Plants and Material Recovery Areas, and waste management.

Duratex has approximately 209 thousand hectares of planted forests. All Duratex’s forest areas are managed in a sustainable with the adoption of techniques environmentally appropriated and respecting social requirements. Two certifications support this affirmation: the ISO 14.001 and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Green Seal. The first one attests that the Company has an Environmental Management System, established in the farms of the Botucatu Plant and in the Lençóis Paulista Seedling-Production Nursery, which complies with the requirements of the NBR ISO 14001 norm. The FSC certification, which covers 78% of the Company’s timberlands in the São Paulo state and 85% in the Minas Gerais state. This certification attests that these areas meet the Principles and Criteria for good forest management, being economically viable, environmentally adequate and socially fair.

In 1995, Duratex in the São Paulo state was the first Company in Latin America to obtain the FSC certification, which confirms its commitment to environmental issues and the conservation of natural resources. The forests in Minas Gerais obtained the certification in 2005.



The FSC or Forest Stewardship Council is the result of global initiatives for environmental conservation and sustainable development of forests around the world. This voluntary certification depends on the initiative of the company or organization interested. The FSC goal is to ensure that forest management follows principles and criteria that balance ecological safeguards with social benefits and economic viability of the enterprise, being the same for the whole world.



The use and mastery of up to date techniques in the cultivation areas reflect the Duratex’s concern with achieving forest management efficiency, and reducing the possible impacts of its activities on the environment.

Duratex’s forests management is based on a number of practices which aim at increasing the productivity of its timberlands while preserving the environment:

• Minimum Tillage
  
  Minimum tillage is a forest management practice by which new plantations are developed over previously harvested areas, with a minimum soil revolving, thus keeping the surface protected by the organic remains of the preceding forest.
  
  
• Soil Fertilizing Program
  
  Duratex employs a direct fertilizing technique which ensures fertilizer administration directly to the seedling or tree, thus reducing the random dispersion of chemical in the soil. In addition, the program involves the careful selection of formulas and administration methods, in order to preserve the fertility of the soil.
  
  
• Pest Control
  
  Duratex utilizes pest control methods which are crucial for guaranteeing plantation yield, as well as environmental conservation. The biological control involves the development and introduction of natural enemies against any agents able affect the cultivated species. Genetic improvement also contributes to improving the biological control, by identifying and selecting more resistant specimens.
  
  
• Fire Control
  
  The Company possesses forest fire prevention and combat systems, aimed at protecting cultivated areas, machinery and facilities, as well as fauna and flora conservation areas. The experience gathered in fire control is applied to fighting fires in the neighboring communities and answering distress calls from the local authorities.
  
  
• Biodiversity – Control Programs
  
  Duratex has had, since 1973, various projects for survey and monitoring of existing biodiversity in its forests. In partnership with research institutions, different animal classes (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects, etc.) have been studied in order to understand the dynamics and their relationship with their habitat. The researches projects results on flora and fauna generate technical inputs required for the monitoring of biodiversity and the establishment of management procedures in the areas of cultivation of the soil, allowing the construction of sustainable models for the management of the forest farms.

In April 2008, the Natural Reserve Egydio Olavo Setubal was approved by the State Government of Sao Paulo as a Private Natural Heritage - RPPN State (SMA Resolution 29/2008).

The area of 615.50 ha is classified as one of the richest reserves of natural forest in the state of Sao Paulo for having species of high biodiversity conservation value.

The protection of this area was determined by the entrepreneurs Egydio Olavo Setubal and Eudoro Villela, at the time of purchase of the Rio Claro farm in 1970.

The reserve, located on the Lençóis Paulista Forest Unit, consists of stationary forest, where part of its trees naturally drops its leaves in the driest time of year. Sites that resembles a small wetland can also be found in sites flooded by the Claro river water course. 

Since 1974, numerous studies have been conducted about the local biodiversity in partnership with universities and other institutions. 

Near the area was built a reception area with dependencies, support for technical visits and researchers who are developing projects in the area.

The industrial areas adopt a Environmental Management System, internally developed, which allows for monitoring each unit in terms of effluent treatment and solid residue disposal, as well as atmospheric emissions reduction.

Effluent treatment methods have evolved within the Company. Starting in 2004, investments were made to upgrade the Effluent Treatment Stations (ETEs), developing Material Recovery Areas (ARMs). The effluents which were previously treated and returned to the public sewage system could then be reutilized in the productive processes and plant maintenance. 

Solid residues receive special attention, since some can be recycled and reutilized in the same processes, generating operating profit due to the reduced consumption of raw material. Other materials can be sold to and used by other companies, generating non-operating profit.

Scrap metal and rejected wooden panels are 100% reutilized. The metal scraps are recast and returned to the industrial process. The wood remains are used as fuel in the plants. Among the solid residues sold to other companies, the nickel hydroxide is used by the chemical industry, and the galvanic mud, by the fertilizer industry. 

Disposable materials are carefully sorted and sent to appropriate facilities, in order to avoid further environmental impact. 

The use of filters and gas washers reduced atmospheric emissions. In addition, the oil-burning kilns were substituted by state-of-the-art natural gas-burning equivalents, further reducing emissions.  

Parallel to the internal measures for reducing environmental impacts, the Company has developed a series of products aimed at the rational use of water. These products include faucets, flush valves, urinals and toilets that require less water, and are supported by a specialized sales team, which introduces them to major clients such as hospitals, shopping malls, office complexes and hotels. The team’s main goal is to stress out the financial and environmental benefits deriving from installing such products.

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Updated on May, 2010