Three ceramic production facilities in Rio De Janerio State now create sustainable terracotta briquettes for the building industry by switching the fuel source they used in their kilns. Instead of using around 4.1 million litres of fuel oil per year to create about 60,000 tonnes of ceramics, each now uses biomass in their kilns. Types of biomass include sawdust, old shipping pallets and wood and wood chips from sustainable afforestation sites.
The Rio Ceramics Biomass Project has three ceramic production facilities located in Vila Nova in Itaborai City, Sao Silvestre in Rio Bonito City and Nova Dutra in Pinheiral City. Each project supports a local community organisation. These include a rural primary school, a school for children and young adults with mental and physical disabilities and a music project for underprivileged kids. The Vila Nova even has an onsite well, making clean water available to the local community.
A number of employment and training opportunities have also been created as a result of the project including 36 temporary construction roles and nine permanent operating roles.
The three ceramic production facilities contribute to sustainable development by: