Italy has become a leader in Europe in terms of waste recycling. In 1997, the separate collection of municipal waste was only 9.4%, while 80% ended up in landfills. Only 21% of industrial waste was recycled, with the remaining 33% going to landfill. In 2020, however, the separate collection of municipal waste reached 63%, and landfill disposal fell to 20%. The recycling of industrial waste has exceeded 70%, with disposal falling to 6%. These changes have fuelled the growth of the Italian recycling industry, which has become a relevant and strategic sector of the national production system. The recycling industry has about 4,800 companies, 236,365 employees, and generates an added value of 10.5 billion euros, increasing by 31% from 2010 to 2020. In 2020, Italy recycled 72% of all waste, both urban and special-industrial; it is a European record, (53% the EU average and 55% that of Germany), with a rate of use of recycled materials on the total of materials consumed at 21.6% (EU average 12.8%, 13.4% in Germany). Also for the management of packaging waste, Italy is a European recycling excellence, with more than 10.5 million tons sent to recycling and a rate of 73.3% in 2021, which is higher not only than the European target of 65% by 2025 but, 9 years in advance, also than the European target of 70% by 2030.
|