Usina S\u00e3o Manoel<\/strong><\/a>, with a degree in civil engineering from the Polytechnic School of USP and an MBA from the London Business School.<\/p>\n
\nAgriBrasilis – <\/strong>What are the main environmental impacts of sugarcane production?<\/strong><\/p>\nPedro Dinucci – <\/strong>Sugarcane is considered a semi-perennial crop, meaning it doesn’t need to be planted yearly. It is planted every 5 or 6 years, minimizing the impact on the soil and reducing CO2 emissions. Another important factor is industrial waste, such as filter cake and vinasse, which comes from the processing of the sugarcane itself and is used in the sugarcane farms as a source of organic nutrients, significantly reducing the use of mineral fertilizers.<\/p>\nSugarcane farming is a reference when it comes to the biological use of pesticides, especially in the case of biological pest control. Like most grasses, it is a major fixer of carbon in the soil, a factor that is extremely important for plant root development. Once this carbon is retained in the soil, it is no longer released into the atmosphere.<\/p>\n
One cannot fail to mention ethanol, a biofuel produced from sugarcane which, when consumed, emits 90% less CO2 than gasoline (fossil fuel).<\/p>\n
A concern for the sector is the high consumption of diesel in the harvesting and transportation of sugarcane to the industries, which results in a high volume of emissions. At the moment, there are no possible actions to drastically reduce the consumption of this fuel, since the vehicles available on the market don’t have superior technologies to those we have in our fleet. Another important issue is the occurrence of agricultural fires. Although the practice of using fire as a pre-harvest method has no longer been part of the day-to-day activities of sugarcane mills for at least 10 years, and all harvesting is carried out mechanically, there are still many incidents of fire caused by third parties in sugarcane farms. These small outbreaks of fire, when they find a favorable scenario for spreading, such as dry weather, low humidity, heat, and wind, take on proportions that get out of control and can cause major environmental, social, and financial damage.<\/p>\n
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