Circular economy
A careful assessment of progress towards a circular economy is essential to understand how the different components of this policy develop over time and whether the change is going in the desired direction. It is also useful to understand the effectiveness of the different actions implemented, and constitutes an analytical basis for identifying new priorities. There is no all-encompassing indicator to measure the circularity of an economy, also because it would not be able to capture its complexity and different dimensions. A core set of indicators on the circular economy is a set of key measures used to evaluate and monitor the transition from a linear to a circular economic model, where materials are used, recycled and reused as much as possible. The indicators can cover a variety of aspects, including efficiency in the use of resources, waste reduction and the adoption of sustainable practices.
The ISPRA indicators that can contribute most to describing or monitoring, partially or fully, the various components of the theme are present.
EXPORT OF NON-HAZARDOUS AND HAZARDOUS SPECIAL WASTE
The indicator measures the amount of special waste sent abroad for recovery and disposal. In 2022, the total exported special waste amounted to approximately 4.9 million tons, of which 3.4 million tons were non-hazardous waste (70% of the total) and 1.5 million tons were hazardous waste (30% of the total). The largest quantities of waste were sent to Germany and Austria, with 977,000 tons and 600,000 tons, respectively.
IMPORT OF NON-HAZARDOUS AND HAZARDOUS SPECIAL WASTE
The indicator measures the amount of special waste imported for recovery in production activities. In 2022, the special waste imported into Italy amounted to approximately 6.9 million tons, consisting almost entirely of non-hazardous waste (98.5%). Hazardous waste accounted for only 106,000 tons (1.5% of total imports). The largest quantity came from Germany, about 1.8 million tons (26.1% of total imports), consisting almost entirely of non-hazardous waste (hazardous waste amounted to just 4,650 tons), predominantly metallic waste. France followed, with over 1 million tons (15.6% of the total), also mainly consisting of metallic waste.
MUNICIPAL WASTE GENERATION PER UNIT OF GDP
In 2022, the economic recovery that had already begun in previous years continued, further compensating for the sharp decline caused by the health emergency that significantly impacted the socio-economic landscape in 2020. Despite the increases recorded between 2021 and 2022 in socio-economic indicators such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and final consumption expenditure within the economic territory—up by 4% and 5.8%, respectively—the data on municipal waste generation, on the other hand, show a decline (-1.9%).
MUNICIPAL WASTE PRODUCTION
In 2022, the total national municipal waste (MW) production in Italy amounted to approximately 29.1 million tons, marking a 1.8% decrease (543,000 tons) compared to 2021. In general terms, the 2022 data appears to reflect a long-term declining trend.
PERCENTAGE OF PREPARATION FOR REUSE AND RECYCLING
In 2022, the percentage of preparation for reuse and recycling, calculated using Methodology 4 and net of C&D waste from household sources, stood at 49.2%, falling below the 2020 target (50%).
QUANTITY OF RECOVERED SPECIAL WASTE
The indicator measures the total quantity of special waste sent for recovery operations (R1-R12) as defined in Annex C of Legislative Decree 152/2006. In 2022, the amount of recovered special waste was significant, accounting for 73.3% of the total managed waste (176.6 million tons), with a continuously increasing trend (+13% in the last three years). The total quantity of recovered special waste amounts to 129.4 million tons, of which 4.2 million tons are hazardous. The region with the highest quantity of recovered special waste is Lombardy (28% of the total recovered), followed by Veneto (10.9%) and Emilia-Romagna (9.2%).
QUANTITY OF SEPARATELY COLLECTED MUNICIPAL WASTE
In 2022, the separate waste collection rate reached 65.2% of national waste production (29.1 million tons), an increase of 1.2 percentage points compared to 2021, thus meeting the regulatory target set for 2012 (65%).
QUANTITY OF SPECIAL WASTE DISPOSED OF IN LANDFILLS AND NUMBER OF LANDFILLS
The indicator shows the quantity of special waste disposed of in landfills by category and type of waste, as well as the number of landfills. In 2022, the total amount of special waste disposed of in landfills was approximately 8.9 million tons, representing 5% of the total amount of special waste managed nationwide (177 million tons). Compared to 2021, there was a decrease of about 1.3 million tons (-12.6%), while compared to 2020 (the year of the COVID-19 pandemic), a reduction of 975 thousand tons (-9.9%) was recorded. The total number of operational landfills is 261, categorized as follows: 118 landfills for inert waste (45% of total operational facilities);132 landfills for non-hazardous waste (51% of total); 11 landfills for hazardous waste (4% of total). Analyzing the 2020–2022 period, a progressive decrease in the total number of operational landfills can be observed, from 285 in 2020 to 270 in 2021 and 261 in 2022.
QUANTITY OF SPECIAL WASTE USED AS A SOURCE OF ENERGY IN PRODUCTION PLANTS
The indicator measures the quantity of special waste treated in production plants across the country, used either partially or entirely as a substitute for traditional fuels. In 2022, more than 1.8 million tons of special waste were recovered in co-incineration plants. Compared to 2021, the quantities of energy recovered are substantially stable, showing a slight decrease of about 1,000 tons (-0.1%). The regional distribution shows that the majority of special waste, 75.4% of the total, is recovered in the Northern regions, followed by the Central regions with 12.8% and the Southern regions with 11.8%.
SPECIAL WASTE PRODUCTION
In 2022, a year marked by a delicate international geopolitical context, the production of special waste generated by the national production system (industrial, commercial, artisanal, and service activities, as well as waste treatment and environmental remediation) recorded a decline compared to 2021. This trend was similar to that observed for urban waste, with total production amounting to 161.4 million tons (-2.1%, equivalent to 3.4 million tons). Non-hazardous waste, which accounts for 93.8% of total waste produced, decreased by 2.7 million tons (-1.8%), while hazardous waste dropped by almost 680,000 tons (-6.4%).
The construction sector continued to show an increase, although more contained than in the previous year, due to government incentives for building renovation aimed at improving energy efficiency, along with construction activities related to infrastructure, public works, residential, and commercial buildings.
Total Waste Production Excluding Major Mineral Wastes
The indicator evaluates the pressures on the environment and the efficiency of resources used by the economy to generate wealth, as well as its progress toward achieving a circular economy. In 2022, the ratio of national waste production to gross domestic product (GDP) was slightly above the European average (66 kg/1,000€ vs. 60 kg/1,000€). Overall, the economic system still appears unable to limit waste production in relation to the wealth produced.