CyclE

I founded CyclE Reciclagem to address the growing problem of electronic waste. The project was built around three goals: educate, recycle, and donate. Rather than treating recycling as a single collection event, we designed a system that could connect awareness, accessible disposal, responsible recycling, and social impact. We created educational content and taught more than five classes to help people understand the effects of electronic waste and why proper disposal matters.

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The core of the project was building a collection network that made electronic recycling easier for the community. CyclE established more than 15 collection points across Porto Alegre, including residential buildings and retail locations, and organized additional collection events. Through this network, we collected more than 700 kg of electronic waste that might otherwise have gone to landfills or improper disposal sites.

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We also designed a clear path for everything we collected. CyclE partnered with Reverse, a waste-management company with ISO 14001 certification, to ensure that the electronics were processed correctly. The collected waste was transported to Reverse, recycled, sold back into industry as usable material, and ultimately used in new products. This created a practical circular system in which discarded electronics could re-enter the supply chain instead of becoming waste.

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The project was designed to create social impact as well as environmental impact. For every kilogram recycled, the recycling process generated funds that CyclE redirected to other social initiatives. At the time of this project, we had donated more than R$350, helping provide food for more than 100 people. What began as an effort to solve a local waste problem became a scalable model that connected infrastructure, education, environmental responsibility, and community support.