Promoting biodiversity on a chemical plant? It can be done!

One might not think of a lively tropical environment full of wildlife when considering a working chemical complex. In Paulínia, a Solvay site about 90 kilometers north of São Paulo, successful cohabitation is happening.

In 2024, the Paulinía site received the WHC Gold Certificate again from Tandem Global. Tandem Global is an organization formed by merging the Wildlife Habitat Council and the World Environment Center. Tandem Global promotes biodiversity conservation in the private sector.

In 2021, Tandem gave Paulínia its top certification. In 2024, the site went beyond expectations and achieved an impressive 50% score increase. These achievements enable Solvay to be the first in Brazil's chemical and textile sector to receive a Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) Golden certification. It shows the company’s ongoing commitment to caring for the environment.

For many years, the Solvay complex in Paulínia has worked hard to live in harmony with nature. The Paulínia industrial site has typical Atlantic Forest biome.

Thousands of trees fill it, and the Atibaia and Ribeirão Anhumas rivers cross it. You can find many species of wildlife here such as birds, fish, capybaras, pumas, and snakes. Only 15% of its 16 million square meters serves as space for buildings and industrial facilities, including the roads.

We took stock of local plants and animals and found 270 species, including birds, mammals, fish, amphibians, and reptiles. Part of these findings came from images captured by security cameras that recorded the transit of these “site residents.”

Researchers cataloged over 90 plant species in the flora, and they discovered interesting findings from this. The site is a shelter for the maned wolf, moor cat, neotropical otter and giant anteater, which are all endangered species. It’s also home to the second largest cat in the Americas, the puma.

Solvay’s score has risen significantly since its 2021 Gold certification. This is because of improved existing projects and new initiatives. Here are some key highlights:

• Open Doors Ladybugs Education Project: This program teaches students why ladybugs are important. It covers their role as pollinators and how they change as insects. The program includes training for teachers and hands-on care for larvae before releasing the adult ladybugs.
• BeeRhodia Project: Over 50 hives of native stingless bees are now thriving at the Paulínia industrial unit. With help from a meliponiculturist (beehive keeper), the site is working to increase these hives. They know these hives are important for biodiversity and food production.
• Reptile and Amphibian Protection Project: This program captures and moves reptiles and amphibians from the industrial plant. It takes them to safe areas in the Atlantic Forest. This helps protect both the animals and the workers. Improvements since 2021 include enhanced monitoring and a guide for optimal release sites.
• Identification and Monitoring of Native Species: Biologists have found more than 270 native species. This includes five endangered ones: maned wolf, puma, moor cat, neotropical otter and giant anteater. This shows Solvay’s strong understanding of its local ecosystem.
• Forests - Legal Reserve Project: This long-term project will run until 2028. It involves planting and caring for 34,000 native seedlings. The goal is to create a 20.2-hectare forest. We will plant each year and continuously monitor the forest.

Other important projects include the Fish Ladder for spawning fish on the Atibaia River. Capybara Protection fences also exist to keep these animals safe from industrial areas.

These results powerfully reaffirm our dedication to enhancing conservation practices and showcase the excellence of our efforts in protecting biodiversity within an industrial setting.