QUANTITY OF WASTE FROM ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES USED AS AN ENERGY SOURCE IN PRODUCTION PLANTS

Update date
Authors

Irma Lupica

Abstract

The indicator measures the amount of Waste from Economic Activities treated in production plants, present on the national territory, in total or partial replacement of traditional fuels. In 2023, about 1.9 million tons of special waste were recovered in coinciding systems. Compared to 2022, the recovered quantities show a slight increase (852 tons, +0.05%). The regional system framework shows that most Waste from Economic Activities, corresponding to 77.1% of the total, is recovered in the northern regions; The regions of the Center follow with 12.6% and those of the South with 10.3%.

 

Description

Pressure and response indicator that measures the quantities of Waste from Economic Activities treated in production plants in total or partial replacement of traditional fuels.

Purpose

The indicator allows you to evaluate the quantities of waste that are used in total or partial replacement of traditional fuels in production plants on the national territory. It allows to carry out comparisons between regions/provinces/municipalities and provides information to support environmental policy decisions.

Policy relevance and utility for users
It is of national scope or applicable to environmental issues at the regional level but of national significance.
It is able to describe the trend without necessarily providing an evaluation of it.
It is simple and easy to interpret.
It provides a representative overview of environmental conditions, environmental pressures, and societal responses.
It provides a basis for international comparisons
Analytical soundness
Be theoretically well founded in technical and scientific terms
Presents reliability and validity of measurement and data collection methods
Temporal comparability
Spatial comparability
Measurability (data)
Adequately documented and of known quality
Updated at regular intervals in accordance with reliable procedures
Readily available or made available at a reasonable cost/benefit ratio
An “adequate” spatial coverage
An “appropriate” temporal coverage
Main regulatory references and objectives

The regulatory reference regarding coinciding is Directive 2010/75/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 November 2010 relating to industrial emissions (integrated prevention and reduction of pollution), implemented by the national legislation in title III-bis of part IV of Legislative Decree 152/06 (environmental code). This directive fully regulates the incineration and coincidence of hazardous and non -dangerous waste starting from the construction of the systems, also including the different stages of the incineration activity from the moment of reception of waste up to the disposal of the residues. In particular, the decree called specific provisions on: issue limit values; sampling, analysis and evaluation methods of pollutants deriving from the incineration and coincidence of waste; General technical criteria and standards concerning the construction, functional and management characteristics of incineration and coinciding systems, with particular reference to the needs of ensuring integrated protection of the environment against emissions caused by these systems; temporal criteria for adaptation to the new provisions of existing systems.

DPSIR
Pressure
Response
Indicator type
Descriptive (A)
References

ISPRA - Waste from Economic Activities report 2025

Limitations

No limitation

Further actions

None

Data source
Ispra/Arpa/App
 
Data collection frequency
Yearly
Data availabilty

Single model of environmental declaration MUD ISPRA - Waste cadastre (http://www. catasto-rifiuti. isprambiente. it).

Spatial coverage

National, regional

Time coverage

2010-2023

Processing methodology

The indicator measures the amount of Waste from Economic Activities coincided in partial or total replacement of traditional fuels. The information is provided disaggregated with respect to the different types of refusal, i. e. Waste from Economic Activities dangerous  and Waste from Economic Activities non -hazardous  and divided between the different regional contexts. The information base consists of the data contained in the single model of environmental declaration communicated by the subjects identified by article 189 paragraph 3 of Legislative Decree 152/2006, to the Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Crafts and Territorially competent agriculture.

Update frequency
Year
Data quality

The indicator is reliable and reliable in terms of measuring methods and data collection. Represents a basis for making comparisons internationally. It is easy to interpret and is updated annually.

Status
Medium
Trend
Undefinable
State assessment/description

In 2023, approximately 1.9 million tonnes of Waste from Economic Activities were recovered in co-incineration plants. Compared to 2022, the quantities recovered showed a slight increase of 852 tonnes (+0.05%) (Table 1). The national plant infrastructure comprised 301 operational facilities; of these, 253 treated quantities of waste exceeding 100 tonnes per year, while the remaining 48 used small amounts of waste exclusively for the recovery of thermal/electric energy functional to their own production cycle (Table 2).

Trend assessment/description

The quantity of sWaste from Economic Activities sent for energy recovery in 2023 showed a decrease of 18.5% compared to 2010, corresponding to 419 thousand tonnes, outlining a downward trend (Table 3).

Comments

The regional overview shows that most of the Waste from Economic Activities was recovered in the northern regions (77.1% of the total), followed by the central regions with 12.6% and the southern regions with 10.3%. The regional comparison for the 2022–2023 period highlights the most significant increases in the quantities of co-incinerated waste in Lombardy (+35 thousand tonnes, +7.0%), Veneto (+17 thousand tonnes, +7.5%), Calabria (over +13 thousand tonnes, +36.7%), Campania (over +11 thousand tonnes), Tuscany (about +11 thousand tonnes, +34.7%), Emilia-Romagna (about +8 thousand tonnes, +2.3%), Liguria (almost +4 thousand tonnes, +22.9%), and Marche (+700 tonnes, +2.3%).

Conversely, a decrease in the quantities recovered for energy purposes was observed in Piedmont (over -19 thousand tonnes, -17.8%), Umbria (-13 thousand tonnes, -8.1%), Molise (over -3 thousand tonnes, -20.5%), Sicily (over -7 thousand tonnes, -14.2%), Trentino-Alto Adige (over -3 thousand tonnes, -11%), Apulia (over -42 thousand tonnes, -42.4%), and Lazio (over -1 thousand tonnes, -11.2%). Data for Sardinia and Abruzzo remained essentially stable, showing slight decreases of about -400 and -250 tonnes, respectively (Figure 1).

 

 

 

 

Data
Data
Headline

Table 1: Quantity of Waste from Economic Activities used as an energy source (R1) in Italy, by region

Data source

ISPRA

Headline

Table 2: Energy recovery plants by region (2023)

Data source

ISPRA

Headline

Table 3: Quantity of Waste from Economic Activities used as an energy source (R1) in Italy

Data source

ISPRA

Thumbnail
Headline

Figure 1: Quantity of Waste from Economic Activities used as an energy source (R1)

Data source

ISPRA