Manya Rathore
Research expert covering India
Recycling and recovery in Italy - statistics & facts
Waste recycling and recovery in Italy has been growing steadily over the years as the country has made significant efforts to promote waste management and environmental sustainability. With the highest recycling rate among European Union member states, Italy recycles more than 80 percent of its waste on an annual basis. The Mediterranean country has a well-established waste collection system with separate bins for different types of waste – including paper, plastic, glass, and organic waste – which facilitates the recycling process by ensuring that collected recyclable materials are properly sorted.
Recycling and recovery of new waste streams
Rising consumer demand for electronics combined with shorter product life cycles have made e-waste one of the largest emerging waste streams in modern times. With an average of six kilograms per inhabitant of collected waste from electric and electronic equipment (WEEE), Italy has implemented regulations to ensure the proper collection and recycling of e-waste, such as dedicated collection points and recycling facilities to handle computers, mobile phones, televisions, and other electronic devices. Meanwhile, plastic waste has also gained significant attention over the last decade due to its environmental impact. Italy has been focusing on reducing plastic waste and promoting recycling with initiatives that include the introduction of plastic bottle deposit schemes and the ban on certain single-use plastics. Altogether – with 25 kilograms of plastic packaging waste per capita collected in 2022– Italy’s recycling rate of plastic packaging has recently neared 50 percent, up from 37 percent less than a decade earlier.Challenges of the recycling and recovery sector in Italy
While Italy has made progress in waste recycling, there are still challenges to be overcome. Illegal dumping and waste mismanagement remain issues in certain regions, requiring continued efforts in enforcement and public awareness. In fact, regional differences in the recycling rates across the country are apperent. Northern regions like Veneto or Trentino-South Tyrol have some of the highest municipal waste sorted collection rates in Europe. In contrast, southern regions like Sicily still struggle. In Palermo, the Sicilian capital, less than 20 percent of the total waste collected was sorted out in 2022. Another key challenge of the Italian recycling system is the lack of standardization. With such obvious differences across regions, standardization of recycling processes and regulations would help streamline operations and improve the country’s overall recycling efficiency, avoiding inconsistencies in waste collection and sorting practices. In addition, Italy is also working towards reducing its reliance on landfilling and increasing the use of more sustainable waste treatment methods, such as waste-to-energy and circular economy approaches.
