Collection and processing of açaí residues into an exportable biomass in Belém Açai palms are indigenous to the flood plains of the Amazon River in northern Brazil. Its fruit is processed into a nutritious pulp that is consumed locally and increasingly exported, to be sold in "health food" stores in western Europe and the US. The açai berry comprises a solid pit (kernel) that accounts for 80% of its volume. This kernel, due to its high density, is an excellent biofuel that can be compared to biomass pellets currently traded in the European market. Currently, however, most of the açai residues left over from processing, end up as waste on the municipal landfill or illegal dump sites.Dutch residue treatment specialist World Wide Recycling B.V., and its Brazilian subsidiary VAR do Brasil Ambiental Ltda. recognised a business opportunity in exporting the açaí biomass to be used as fuel for (co-generation in) power plants in Europe.For this purpose, they intend to set up a collection scheme for the açaí residue, and build a processing plant in Belém, that will dry, clean and defibre the açai pits. These will then be shipped (at first in containers, but ultimately in bulk) from Belém to Rotterdam.Dutch non-governmental poverty alleviation organisation ICCO, will participate in the project to organise the collection of açai residues mainly through 'catadores' (waste pickers), generating income for some 150 of the poorest people. These low educated persons hardly have any opportunity to get a job elsewhere.Finally, by avoiding the dumping of organic waste in local landfills, which leads to the generation of large quantities of methane, the project will contribute to avoiding the emission of harmful greenhouse gases and therefore should qualify under the Clean Development Mechanism. Partners will be selling CERs (Certified Emission Reductions).Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)Considerable effort will be devoted to integrating corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the project. VAR do Brasil Ambiental Ltda's production processes will be certified according to the ISO 9001:2008 quality standards and ISO 14000 environmental standards. VAR do Brasil Ambiental Ltda will use the PSI project term to investigate the feasibility of SA 8000 certification, for which the implication for its sourcing must be better understood. Its contribution to greenhouse gas emission reduction is evidenced by the registration of the project under CDM. Its strategy of sourcing most of the açai residues from small-scale fruit processors through waste pickers is explicitly designed to contribute to poverty alleviation.As part of the Result 1 deliverables, VAR do Brasil Ambiental Ltda's CSR policy will be laid down in a document to be prepared with input of ICCO. The CSR policy will cover both the company's internal operations and its sourcing policy. With regard to its internal operations, the policy will include issues such as employment standards, workplace health and safety, gender policy, non-discrimination policy, child labour, employee participation, chain responsibility, measures to prevent corruption, how to deal with red tape, environmental management, etc. With regard to suppliers, the use of child labour will be prohibited, among other requirements.Impact•	Employment and working conditionsThe project will create 40 fulltime jobs at the joint venture, 34 at basic-level and 6 at medium-/high-level. Two years later, this will be 66 FTE (58:8).Salaries will be 20% to 100% above the minimum wage for basic-level positions, and between 4x and 10x the minimum wage for medium- and high-level positions. VAR do Brasil Ambiental Ltda will provide transport and lunch allowances to all employees as well as the social security services, including health insurance, a 13th month and 20 holidays, pension payments, life insurance and contribution to unemployment fund, as required by law.Other facilities such as child care will be provided where required.•	Innovation/Transfer of knowledgeNew knowledge that will be transferred through the training programme includes:1. European standards and requirements of açai kernel biomass;2. AM0025 methodology or carbon credit projects;3. Collection logistics, for low value materials.The foreseen transfer of know-how through training of staff will strengthen their performance within VAR do Brasil Ambiental Ltda but also increase their employability in the future.On a company level the employees will particularly improve their skills in the area of production management, logistics and planning.•	Chain effectsParties that will directly benefit from the project on a long term are the catadores who will be collecting the açai residue and the batedores who produce it. Around 10 collection stations will initially be established, each at the centre of a clearly defined collection district with a radius of about 5 km. As they can each collect 1.5 to 2.0 tonnes of açai residues per day, some 150 catadores will be involved initially (and up to three times more following expansion of VAR do Brasil Ambiental Ltda's plant). Estimating that on average a catador will collect açai residues from 10 processors, some 1,500 processors will benefit from the project. They will not only be paid R$ 2 per ton, but they will not have to worry anymore about what to do with their waste.The catadores will receive R$ 17 per ton delivered and have to pay R$ 2 per ton to the fruit processors. This results in a net income of R$ 15 per ton, or R$ 22.50 to R$ 30 per day, exceeding the legal minimum wage of R$ 510 per month (R$ 20.50 per day).Other long-term beneficiaries are the transport companies involved in trucking containers from the collection stations to the biomass plant and back and the transport companies shipping the biomass in barges to the ocean going freighters.•	EnvironmentThe project will have a clear positive effect on the environment, by collecting residues that would otherwise be mostly dumped on illegal sites, causing not only a public nuisance but also emitting greenhouse gases. This positive environmental effect will be confirmed by Certified Emission Rights. VAR do Brasil Ambiental Ltda will need 80,000 tonnes of açai residues per year. Assuming that 80% of these residues are being dumped at the local landfill, it means that the methane production of 64,000 tonnes of açai residues will be avoided. Detailed calculations on the amount of CERs will be made in the Project Design Document but a very conservative estimation indicates that it should be possible to claim more than 244,000 CERs in over 10 years.The energy consumption resulting from VAR do Brasil Ambiental Ltda's operations (transport and drying) is offset by a large margin, by the energy produced using the biomass in co-generation and the emissions avoided from the decay of açai waste.The production process does not require water. The left over fibers and other organic matter will be used as fuel in the drying of açaí residues.Depending on the type of project, the Brazilian authority SEMA may require an environmental impact assessment (EIA). SEMA has indicated that for this type of project no EIA is required at this stage and has issued a preliminary environmental license. SEMA will reassess the project when the documentation for the Installation License is provided on the basis of which it may still require an EIA to be carried out, although this is not expected. Should this nevertheless be required, a local consultant will be commissioned by VAR do Brasil Ambiental Ltda to carry out the assessment accordingly.•	Position of womenVAR do Brasil Ambiental Ltda will be an equal opportunity employer. It is expected that its workforce will comprise 50% women. Although any position may be filled by a woman, this will most likely be the case for the positions of Administrator, Secretary, Quality Control Officer, Collection Supervisor, Staff Handling Raw Material, Production Worker, Canteen and Cleaning Staff.The project will have a positive impact on the catadores and batedores which also include a substantial number of women. To set up an acai biomass collection scheme and processing plant, to export 50,000 tonnes per year of acai kernels, to be used as co-generation fuel in European power plants. Simultaneously the project will generate Carbon Credits of up to 2,000 CERs.