Waste recycling in Italy has withstood the brunt of the pandemic. Excellent standards have been achieved in many cases, but there is still work to be done. Especially in terms of simplification and incentives for recycled products.
The 11th‘Italy of Recycling‘ Report, presented on 10.12.20 by FISE UNICIRCULAR and Sustainable Development Foundation, offers a scenario on waste recycling, supply chain by supply chain, and how the sector has weathered the health crisis.
Waste recycling, good performance in 2019
Individual supply chains, in 2019, showed positive performance. Packaging recycling is growing slightly (up 3 percent from 2018), with 9.6 million tons sent for material recovery and an overall recycling rate that reached 70 percent on the released for consumption.
Italy’s packaging waste recovery rates in 2019 reached cutting-edge levels in Europe. In virtuous order:
– steel (82 percent),
– paper (81%),
– glass (77 percent),
– aluminum (70%),
– wood (63%),
– plastics (46 percent).
WEEE, batteries and vehicles still struggling
In some supply chains, collection is still below European targets:
– collection of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), now at 38 percent (up 10 percent from 2018), is a long way from 65 percent, an EU target for 2019,
– the reuse and recycling of end-of-life vehicles, below the 85 percent threshold by vehicle weight, is itself far from the 2015 target of 95 percent overall recovery,
– battery collection, at 43%, is still 2 points below the target.
Growing trend
Growingtrends can be seen in the textile waste (10 percent increase in separate collection), construction and demolition waste (recovery rate reached 77 percent), mineral oils (47 percent collection), and used vegetable oils (recycling at +9 percent compared to 2018).
Also growing is the so-called organic (+7.5 percent), that is, the recovery of the organic fraction, which accounts for the largest share by weight of municipal waste. The collection of end-of-life tires in turn met the national target, sending 151,000 tons to material recovery and 116,000 tons to energy recovery.
Waste recycling, the effects of pandemic 2020
The Covid-19 pandemic has also affected municipal and special waste collection. The survey–conducted between September and October 2020 among a sample of companies, supply chain consortia, utilities, trade associations and others–detects a consistent trend as home restrictions change. With diversified trends for individual supply chains.
In the first 4 months of 2020–two of which were under lockdown,–the separate collection of household packaging waste (a consequence of increasedecommerce) increased by more than 7 percent compared to 2019. +5-6% those in glass and plastic, +10% those in paper and steel. Aluminum packaging, on the other hand, is stable.
Drastic slowdown in WEEE and organics
Significant reductions (greater than 10 percent) were experienced by all the supply chains related to deliveries to the ecological islands (WEEE and wood packaging) and those related to industrial and commercial activities (solvents, used mineral oils, end-of-life tires, and used animal and vegetable oils and fats).
During the lockdown, organic waste also decreased by about 15 percent. The increase in household waste was offset by the decrease in waste from collective users (canteens, restaurants, public establishments). The balance has been restored since May-June with the resumption of production, trade and tourism activities.
Down in demand for recycled raw materials
The heaviest repercussions were caused by the reduction of foreign outlets (customs closures and slowdowns) and domestic outlets due to the blockade/crisis of some production sectors (e.g., automotive and construction). A crisis that has led to a collapse in demand for recycled raw materials and increased competition from virgin raw materials due to their falling prices.
Further negative effect has been the slowdown and cuts in planned investments in the waste sector. Sixty-five percent of industry respondents said they expect a reduction in future investments.
The analysis of enterprises in the sector
‘ There is a particular need for the rapid establishment of national decrees for the different End of Waste supply chains and the simplification of control procedures on End of Waste permits on a case-by-case basis.
The emergency also highlighted some deficiencies in plant equipment (especially for the organic fraction and the residual non-recyclable fraction) and the need for new recycling technologies for some types of waste (mixed plastics and some WEEE).
The Italian recycling system is able to meet the new and more ambitious European targets for the circular economy provided that further efforts are made to improve the quality of collections and consequently of materials for recycling, the use of ‘circular’ products is promoted, and the delays and plant deficiencies still present in some parts of the country are made up for’ (Paolo Barberi, President of FISE UNICIRCULAR, the Circular Economy Business Union).
Encouraging the use of recycled materials.
More consistent use of materials generated from waste recycling should be promoted. There is a need to strengthen the use of recycled products and goods in green procurement(Green Public Procurement) and to introduce a requirement for the use of a minimum content of recycled materials, on certain products and works, as envisaged in the new EU Circular Economy Package. (1)
In considering the purchase prices of circular goods, moreover, special attention is asked to be paid to the real benefits and costs, including environmental ones. When this does not happen, it will be necessary to intervene with environmental contribution and taxation. That is, with both tools, to disincentivize negative impacts on the environment and resources and to recognize the environmental benefits of using ‘circular’ products.
Edo Ronchi’s directions
Further guidance to decision makers comes from Edo Ronchi, president of the Foundation for Sustainable Development and ‘father’ of the legislation on modern waste management (Legislative Decree Feb. 5, 1997 No. 22 or ‘Ronchi Decree’).
‘To develop the circular economy., encourage innovation and new investments it would be very useful to reduce the excessively long timescales , sometimes of years, for the authorizations of waste recycling activities that generate products (End of waste) entrusted, on a case-by-case basis, to the Regions and today subjected to a double regime of spot checks, not provided for by European Directives and not required in any other European country.
In the use of European resources of the Recovery fund is also necessary to finance research and innovation of recycling techniques in critical areas that have important environmental and development potential (e.g., recycling of mixed plastics and some WEEE) as well as to finance innovation to improve the recyclability of certain products and to increase the use of recycled material as a substitute for virgin raw materials.”
The entire Report can be downloaded from http://www.unicircular.org/(in the Publications section of the public area) and from www.fondazionesvilupposostenibile.org.
Marta Strinati
Notes
(1) Dario Dongo. Legislative Decree. 116/20, Food packaging labeling. Inapplicable standards. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 3.10.20, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/imballaggi/d-lgs-116-20-etichettatura-degli-imballaggi-alimentari-norme-inapplicabili
Professional journalist since January 1995, he has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic surveys on food, she has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".
