Panel 1
Patrizia D'Alessandro
The indicator shows the amount of special waste disposed of in landfills by category and by type of waste and the number of landfills. In 2023, the quantities of special waste overall disposed of in landfills amount to 7.9 million tons, equal to 4.4% of the total quantity of special waste managed at national level (about 179 million tons). Compared to 2022, there is a decrease of about 997 thousand tons (-11.2%), while, compared to 2021, there is a reduction of 2.3 million tons (-22.4%). The total number of operating landfills is equal to 249: 105 landfills for inert waste (42.2% of the total operating systems), 133 landfills for non -hazardous waste (53.4% of the total), and 11 landfills for hazardous waste (4.4% of the total). Analyzing the three-year period 2021 - 2023, there is a progressive decrease in the total number of operational landfills ranging from 270 of 2021, to 261 in 2022 and 249 in 2023.
It represents the amount of special waste disposed of in landfills by category and by type of waste and the number of operating landfills that dispose of special waste.
Verify the application of the European "waste hierarchy" on waste management provided for by art. 4 of Directive 2008/98/EC and subsequent amendments, which provides for landfill disposal as a residual management form.
Directive 1999/31/EC relating to the landfills of waste and subsequent amendments.
Decision 2003/33/EC decision that establishes criteria and procedures for the admission of waste into landfills pursuant to art. 16 and Annex II of Directive 1999/31/EC and subsequent amendments.
Legislative Decree 36/2003 implementation of Directive 1999/31/EC relating to the landfills of waste and subsequent amendments.
Legislative Decree 152/2006 environmental rules - Part IV and subsequent amendments.
Directive 2008/98/EC relating to waste and subsequent amendments.
DM 27 September 2010 definition of the admissibility criteria of landfill waste, modified by the Ministerial Decree of 24 June 2015.
Directive 2018/850/EU which modifies Directive 1999/31/EC relating to waste landfills.
Directive 2018/851/EU which changes the 2008/98/EC Directive relating to waste.
Legislative Decree no. 121/2020 (September 3, 2020) which implements Directive 2018/850/EU.
Legislative Decree 36/2003 (implementation of Directive 1999/31/EC relating to waste landfills) which establishes the operational and technical requirements for landfill systems by defining the procedures, construction criteria and methods of managing these systems in order to reduce the impact on the environment of waste collection places. The landfills are classified into three categories in relation to the type of waste: inert, not dangerous, dangerous.
With regard to the criteria for admissibility of waste in landfills, the provisions are partly contained in Legislative Decree 36/2003 but, above all, on the Ministerial Decree of 27 September 2010 which transposes the decision 2003/33/EC of the European Commission relating to the admissibility criteria of waste in the different types of landfill. Directive 2008/98/EC establishes the key principles regarding waste, such as the definition of refusal, recovery and disposal provides for the obligation to authorize for all subjects involved in the management and that of treating waste in order to avoid negative impacts on the environment and human health, and encouraging the application of the "waste hierarchy" which provides for the disposal in landfill as a residual management form.
Panel 2
ISPRA, Rapporto rifiuti speciali 2025.
Data quality assessment
ISPRA - Catasto rifiuti (http://www. catasto-rifiuti. isprambiente. it).
National (s), regional (20/20)
1997-2023
Indicator assessment
The data on the disposal in landfill of special waste were processed starting from the MUD 2024 database (single model of environmental declaration, reference year 2023) reclaimed, validated and integrated with the information collected through special questionnaires, prepared by Ispra, and sent to all subjects who in various capacities are in possession of information on the subject (Arpa/Apps, Provinces, Provinces, Municipalities), as well as through punctual checks) on individual plants.
In 2023, the total quantity of special waste disposed of in landfills amounted to 7.9 million tonnes, equal to 4.4% of the total managed nationally (approximately 179 million tonnes). Compared to 2022, a decrease of about 997 thousand tonnes (-11.2%) was recorded, while compared to 2021, a reduction of 2.3 million tonnes (-22.4%) was observed (Table 1). In parallel with the quantity of special waste landfilled, the number of facilities also continued to decline, reaching 249 in 2023 (Table 3).
In the period 1997–2023, the quantity of special waste disposed of in landfills decreased by 62%, outlining a positive trend (Table 1 and Figure 1). The number of operational landfills treating special waste also declined over the years, with a 29% reduction compared to 2016, falling from 350 facilities to 249 in 2023 (Table 3).
Data
Table 1: Quantity of special waste disposed of in landfills in Italy
ISPRA
Table 2: Quantity of special waste landfilled by type, at regional level
ISPRA
Table 3: Number of operational landfills disposing of special waste, by region and by category
ISPRA
Figure 1: Trend in the quantity of special waste landfilled
ISPRA
Figure 2: Geographical location and category of operational landfills disposing of special waste (2023)
ISPRA
In 2023, the quantities of non-hazardous special waste disposed of in landfills amounted to 7 million tonnes, representing 88.8% of the total landfilled at national level, while hazardous waste, slightly above 882 thousand tonnes, accounted for 11.2%. The analysis of data for the two-year period 2022–2023 shows a decrease in non-hazardous waste disposed of, from approximately 7.9 million tonnes to just over 7 million tonnes (-11.1%, -875 thousand tonnes). With respect to hazardous waste, a reduction of 121 thousand tonnes was recorded, equal to -12.1% (Table 1 and Figure 1).
Of the total, 55.7% was managed in facilities located in Northern Italy, where the quantities decreased from about 4.8 million tonnes in 2022 to 4.4 million tonnes in 2023 (-7.4%, approximately -353 thousand tonnes). In the Central regions, 25.3% was landfilled, with a reduction of 7.3% (-157 thousand tonnes), from 2.2 million tonnes in 2022 to 2 million tonnes in 2023. In Southern Italy, where 19% of the national total was disposed of, a sharper decrease of 24.5% was recorded (approximately -487 thousand tonnes) (Table 2).
In the Northern regions, the largest reductions were observed in Lombardy (-13.8%, -305 thousand tonnes) and Emilia-Romagna (-12.7%, -38 thousand tonnes). Lombardy (1.9 million tonnes, equal to 43.3% of the macro-area and 24.1% of the national total) and Veneto (about 1.1 million tonnes, 24.9% of the macro-area and 13.9% of the national total) are the regions disposing of the largest volumes of waste. These regions recorded, respectively, a reduction of 305 thousand tonnes (-13.8%) and an increase of about 83 thousand tonnes (+8.1%). Other regions reported reductions, including Piedmont (-32 thousand tonnes, -6.7%), Valle d’Aosta (-12 thousand tonnes, -14.5%), Friuli-Venezia Giulia (-27 thousand tonnes, -12.8%) and Liguria (-19 thousand tonnes, -4.7%).
In the Central regions, the most significant variation was observed in Tuscany (-145 thousand tonnes, -16.8%), followed by Marche (-50 thousand tonnes, -25.8%) and Umbria (-16 thousand tonnes, -3.7%). Lazio, conversely, recorded an increase (+7.8%, +53 thousand tonnes). In this macro-area, the largest quantities of waste disposed of were observed in Lazio (737 thousand tonnes, equal to 36.9% of the area and 9.3% of the national total) and Tuscany (about 718 thousand tonnes, equal to 35.9% of the area and 9.1% of the national total).
In the South, Sardinia represented the region with the largest landfilled quantities (about 652 thousand tonnes, equal to 43.5% of the area and 8.3% of the national total), with a reduction of about 174 thousand tonnes (-21.1%). It was followed by Apulia, with about 432 thousand tonnes disposed of (28.8% of the area and 5.5% of the national total), which recorded a contraction of 38.7% (-273 thousand tonnes) compared to 2022. Similar, though less pronounced, reductions were recorded in Sicily (-19 thousand tonnes, -6%), and Calabria (-14 thousand tonnes, -26.8%). Further decreases were noted in Molise (-4 thousand tonnes, -9.9%), Basilicata (-3 thousand tonnes, -7%), and Abruzzo (-420 tonnes, -8.8%). Campania has no operational landfills within its territory.
In 2023, the total number of active landfills was 249. According to the classification set by Legislative Decree 36/2003 and subsequent amendments, the system comprised 105 landfills for inert waste (42.2% of operational facilities), 133 landfills for non-hazardous waste (53.4%), and 11 landfills for hazardous waste (4.4%). The largest number of landfills was located in Northern Italy, with 134 sites, compared to 38 in Central Italy and 77 in the South (Figure 2 and Table 3). A similar territorial distribution was observed for landfills for inert waste (63 in the North, 8 in the Center, and 34 in the South) and for landfills for non-hazardous waste (67 in the North, 26 in the Center, and 40 in the South). Facilities for hazardous waste disposal were distributed as follows: 4 in the North, 4 in the Center, and 3 in the South (Table 3 and Figure 2).