Descrizione 1
Patrizia D'Alessandro
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.
This indicator represents the quantity of special waste disposed of in landfills by category and type of waste, as well as the number of operational landfills for special waste disposal.
To assess the implementation of the European “waste hierarchy” in waste management, as outlined in Article 4 of Directive 2008/98/EC and subsequent amendments, which classifies landfill disposal as a residual waste management method.
Directive 1999/31/EC on landfill waste and subsequent amendments.
Decision 2003/33/EC, which establishes criteria and procedures for waste acceptance in landfills under Article 16 and Annex II of Directive 1999/31/EC.
Legislative Decree 36/2003, implementing Directive 1999/31/EC on landfills.
Legislative Decree 152/2006, environmental regulations - Part IV and subsequent amendments.
Directive 2008/98/EC on waste and subsequent amendments.
Ministerial Decree of September 27, 2010, defining waste acceptance criteria for landfills, amended by Ministerial Decree of June 24, 2015.
Directive 2018/850/EU, amending Directive 1999/31/EC on landfill waste.
Directive 2018/851/EU, amending Directive 2008/98/EC on waste.
Legislative Decree 121/2020 (September 3, 2020), implementing Directive 2018/850/EU.
Legislative Decree 36/2003 establishes the operational and technical requirements for landfill facilities, defining construction procedures, management criteria, and environmental impact reduction measures. Landfills are classified into three categories based on waste type: inert, non-hazardous, and hazardous.
Waste acceptance criteria for landfills are mainly defined in Legislative Decree 36/2003 and Ministerial Decree of September 27, 2010, which transposes Decision 2003/33/EC on waste acceptance criteria for different types of landfills. Directive 2008/98/EC establishes key waste management principles, including definitions of waste, recovery, and disposal. It mandates authorization for all waste management entities and requires waste treatment to prevent environmental and health risks, promoting the waste hierarchy that prioritizes landfill disposal as a last resort.
Descrizione 2
ISPRA, Rapporto Rifiuti Speciali - Edition 2024.
Qualificazione dati
ISPRA - Catasto rifiuti (http://www.catasto-rifiuti.isprambiente.it).
National (I), Regional (20/20)
1997-2022
Qualificazione indicatore
Data on special waste disposal in landfills were processed from the MUD 2023 database (Environmental Declaration Model, reference year 2022), cleaned, validated, and integrated with information collected through specific questionnaires sent by ISPRA to relevant authorities (ARPA/APPA, Regions, Provinces, Municipalities) and verified at individual landfill sites.
In 2022, the total quantity of special waste disposed of in landfills amounted to approximately 8.9 million tonnes, corresponding to 5% of the total waste managed nationally (around 177 million tonnes). Compared to 2021, this represents a decrease of approximately 1.3 million tonnes (–12.6%), while in comparison to 2020 (the year of the COVID-19 public health emergency), the reduction is 975,000 tonnes (–9.9%) (Table 1). In parallel with the decline in the amount of special waste landfilled, the number of operational landfill sites also decreased, from 270 in 2021 to 261 in 2022 (Table 3).
Between 1997 and 2022, the quantity of special waste disposed of in landfills decreased by 57.6%, outlining a positive trend (Table 1 and Figure 1). The number of operational landfills treating special waste has also declined over the years, with a 25% reduction compared to 2016—dropping from 350 facilities to 261 in 2022 (Table 3).
Dati
Table 1: Quantity of special waste landfilled 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 of the quantity of special waste landfilled
ISPRA
Figure 2: Geographical location and category of operational landfills disposing of special waste (2022)
ISPRA
In 2022, the amount of non-hazardous special waste disposed of in landfills amounted to approximately 7.9 million tonnes, representing 88.7 percent of the total landfilled waste at the national level, while hazardous waste accounted for just over 1 million tonnes, or 11.3 percent. The analysis of data for the 2021–2022 biennium shows a decrease in the amount of non-hazardous waste disposed of, falling from approximately 9 million tonnes to 7.9 million tonnes (–11.9 percent, approximately –1.1 million tonnes). As for hazardous waste, a reduction of about 215 thousand tonnes was recorded, corresponding to –17.6 percent (Table 1 and Figure 1).
Fifty-three point four percent of the total is managed in facilities located in Northern Italy, where quantities decreased from around 5.2 million tonnes in 2021 to about 4.8 million tonnes in 2022 (–8 percent, or approximately –415 thousand tonnes). Twenty-four point three percent is sent to disposal in Central Italy, where a decrease of 20.6 percent (–559 thousand tonnes) was observed, with quantities falling from 2.7 million tonnes in 2021 to around 2.2 million tonnes in 2022. Finally, in Southern Italy, where 22.3 percent of the national total is disposed of, a decrease of 13.5 percent (around –310 thousand tonnes) is recorded (Table 2).
The decrease in the amount of special waste disposed of in the North particularly affects Friuli-Venezia Giulia (–36.1 percent, approximately –121 thousand tonnes), Liguria (–18.6 percent, –92 thousand tonnes), Valle d’Aosta (–11.1 percent, –10 thousand tonnes), and Trentino-Alto Adige (–8.6 percent, –4 thousand tonnes). Lombardy, with 2.2 million tonnes (46.5 percent of the macro-area and 24.8 percent of the national total), and Veneto, with 1 million tonnes (21.4 percent of the macro-area and 11.4 percent of the national total), are the regions with the largest quantities of disposed waste. They show reductions of approximately –328 thousand tonnes (–12.9 percent) and –62 thousand tonnes (–5.8 percent), respectively. Increases are reported in Piedmont (+39.1 percent, +136 thousand tonnes) and Emilia-Romagna (+28.1 percent, +66 thousand tonnes).
In Central Italy, the most significant variations are observed in Tuscany (–23.7 percent, –268 thousand tonnes) and Lazio (–22.8 percent, –202 thousand tonnes), followed by Umbria (–15.4 percent, –76 thousand tonnes) and Marche (–6.3 percent, –13 thousand tonnes). The highest quantities of waste disposed of in this area are reported in Tuscany (approximately 863 thousand tonnes, 40 percent of the macro-area and 9.7 percent of the national total) and Lazio (around 684 thousand tonnes, 31.7 percent of the macro-area and 7.7 percent of the national total).
In the South, quantities decreased from approximately 2.3 million tonnes to about 2 million tonnes, a reduction of around 310 thousand tonnes (–13.5 percent). Sardinia recorded the highest quantities disposed of (around 826 thousand tonnes, 41.6 percent of the macro-area and 9.3 percent of the national total) and a reduction of 116 thousand tonnes (–12.3 percent). Puglia followed with around 705 thousand tonnes (35.5 percent of the macro-area and 7.9 percent of the national total), showing a decrease of 21.5 percent (–193 thousand tonnes). Similar trends, though with less significant variations, were observed in Basilicata (–28 thousand tonnes, –41.4 percent) and Calabria (–18 thousand tonnes, –25.8 percent). In the remaining regions, an increase of around 4 thousand tonnes was recorded in Abruzzo, due solely to a higher amount of waste identified under EWC code 170605 (construction materials containing asbestos). Molise saw an increase of approximately 6 thousand tonnes, mainly due to non-hazardous waste, particularly waste identified with EWC code 191212 (other waste including mixed materials), which rose from just over 27 thousand tonnes in 2021 to about 34 thousand tonnes in 2022. Sicily also showed an increase (+35 thousand tonnes, +12.3 percent). The Campania region does not have any landfills on its territory.
In 2022, the total number of operational landfills was 261. According to the classification defined by Legislative Decree 36/2003 and subsequent amendments, the landfill infrastructure consists of 118 landfills for inert waste (45 percent of total operating plants), 132 landfills for non-hazardous waste (51 percent of the total), and 11 landfills for hazardous waste (4 percent of the total). The largest number of landfills is located in the North, with 146 facilities, followed by 43 in the Centre and 72 in the South. A similar territorial distribution is observed for inert waste landfills (74 in the North, 11 in the Centre, and 33 in the South) and for non-hazardous waste landfills (68 in the North, 28 in the Centre, and 36 in the South). As for landfills for hazardous waste, there are 4 facilities in the North, 4 in the Centre, and 3 in the South (Table 3 and Figure 2).