Italy's sorted waste collection system is confronting a structural crisis, highlighted in a position paper unanimously approved on September 10, 2026, by the Conference of Regions and Autonomous Provinces. At the heart of the deadlock are operational bottlenecks at Corepla - the national packaging recovery consortium - and the saturation of storage facilities, driven by recyclers withdrawing from digital auctions.

The root of the issue is fundamentally economic. Market data gathered during ministerial discussions indicates that one metric ton of virgin PET imported from Asia or Egypt trades at approximately 750 euros, whereas the same ton recycled domestically costs between 1,200 and 1,300 euros. This price gap eliminates financial incentives for manufacturing firms, which would face a 60% premium to choose circular national materials.

Compounding this imbalance, data from the International Energy Agency (IEA) reveals massive Asian production output: since 2019, China has expanded its petrochemical infrastructure to match the combined capacity of Europe, Japan, and South Korea, producing 17.5 million tons of PET in 2025 alone, over six times Europe's total production capacity. This logistical and financial crunch ultimately burdens public finances; under EU regulations effective since 2021, member states must pay an 800-euro fee for every ton of plastic packaging that goes un-recycled, potentially exposing Italy to heavy financial penalties due to blocked domestic markets.