In The District Of Natividade, Tjto Implements “Solidary Selective Collection” And Reinforces Commitment To Integration For A More Sustainable Judiciary

“Sustainability is not done alone, but with unity!” With this statement, Justice Ângela Prudente, president of the Management Committee for the Sustainable Logistics Plan of the Judiciary, launched the project on Solidary Selective Collection and Disposal of Unserviceable Seized Goods of the Judiciary of the state of Tocantins, on Monday (February 17th), in the District of Natividade, reinforcing the commitment to integration in this first initiative of the project carried out by the 2025-2027 Management.

“It was an afternoon of immense satisfaction to be in Natividade, a municipality of great significance, with a heritage and historical value of great relevance to all of us. Serving the public and always seeking to improve excellence in judicial service is our commitment, not just to the judiciary, but to the place where we live, be it the municipality, the state or the country - it's a macro policy. Experiencing sustainability goes beyond physical barriers, it is made effective by our relationship with the world through small gestures and today we are planting this seed here in the district so that you can perpetuate it for other generations,” said Justice Ângela Prudente.

Starting in 2021, Natividade is the 9th district to receive the initiative, which has already been implemented in the forums of Palmas, Araguaína, Gurupi, Porto Nacional, Paraíso do Tocantins, Alvorada, Araguatins and Colinas. Dianópolis will be the next district to have the initiative, on Monday (February 24th). 

Encouraging the separation of recyclable waste, the project makes glass (green), metal (yellow), plastic (red) and paper (blue) bins available throughout the courthouse, for the deposit of material produced by civil servers, judges, trainees, outsourced workers and clients. There are also specific bins for batteries, caps and seals. Waste (non-recyclable materials) should be deposited in the gray bin.

For Judge William Trigilio, head of the district, the project itself is important because of the subject it addresses. “When we talk about environmental sustainability, the name itself is suggestive, since the environmental issue suggests the preservation of the species. From there, we have the responsibility and duty to maintain the other natural resources, there are several cycles and I'm happy that it has reached our district,” said the magistrate.

The initiative is run by the Coordination of Social and Environmental Management and Social Responsibility (Cogersa), in partnership with the Forum Board of the district of Natividade, and it aims to implement sustainable practices in solid waste management, encouraging the correct separation of recyclable materials and promoting institutional engagement. Flávio Dionísio Ribeiro, president of the Brazilian Bar Association, Natividade sub-section, attended the launch.  

Zero carbon

On the occasion, Justice Ângela Prudente also spoke about the Zero Carbon Justice Program established by the Resolution No. 594 of the CNJ of 2024, which amends the Resolution No. 400 of the CNJ of 2021. The aim is to promote the decarbonization of the Brazilian Judiciary by 2030, through actions to measure, reduce and compensate for Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions resulting from the operation of its member bodies.

“It's a challenge for all of us, but selective collection is in line with the program because we can measure what we're producing in terms of carbon and, with that, we'll have a parameter to try to reduce our waste production to minimize the impacts,” said the justice, stressing that ”today we must have this commitment so that no one suffers from floods, prolonged droughts, high temperatures, and that we can all take advantage of natural resources. Let it be a continuous journey for all of us and for future generations”.

Solidary collection

The project is called solidary collection because it serves associations and cooperatives, promoting a circular economy and social justice. Natividade will be served by waste pickers from the district of Porto Nacional because it does not have this service in its municipality. 

The Project on Solidary Selective Collection complies with the Resolution No. 400 of the CNJ of 2021, updated by the Resolution No. 550 of the CNJ of 2024, and it is aligned with the Sustainable Logistics Plan and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda of the UN, which provides for the ideal disposal of all solid waste with the installation of suitable bins and partnerships with associations and cooperatives of waste pickers, promoting income generation, inclusion and social justice.

This initiative reaffirms the commitment to socio-environmental responsibility, promoting concrete actions for sustainability and environmental training in the Judiciary. It also has a significant impact on the indexes for obtaining the Quality Award of the CNJ.

Knowing to raise awareness

At the end of the implementation, the employees took part in a course on Selective Collection, given by the employees of Cogersa Cinthia Azevedo and Welica Rodrigues, who have degrees in Environmental Engineering. The aim was to provide them with more knowledge on the subject and to help them spread the word about sustainability. 

During the opening ceremony, Luciene Dantas, coordinator of Cogersa, stressed that sustainability is not restricted to the Environmental Management, it is everywhere in the Judiciary. “Sustainability is there in our vision of the future, as well as in the values and macro-challenges proposed by the Judiciary, it's in every action. That's why we're counting on everyone to reduce carbon emissions through our attitudes and, consequently, optimize our Judiciary,” she said. 

The Court of Justice monitors more than one hundred and thirty indicators, such as paper printing and fuel consumption, as well as offering actions such as courses and services on quality of life, contributing to the environment in which it works. “This plan is part of a macro strategy; we need to have sustainability in all our processes. If you start refusing, reducing, reusing, for example, you're already being sustainable,” said environmental engineer Cínthia.

“The success of the action is not just down to the district, it involves all the partnerships. We have several collectors here, even for batteries, and everyone has to become aware of this proper process of ideal disposal,” said environmental engineer Wélica. 

The course provides guidance on the recycling chain, the correct disposal of waste and seized and unserviceable goods and it aims to improve the Sustainability Performance Index (SDI) within the Judiciary of the state of Tocantins.