In 2024, compared to the 2.3% increase recorded for the production of urban waste, the Italian economy recorded, compared to 2023, a growth in Gross Domestic Product and Final Consumption Expenditure on the national territory, equal, for both socio-economic indicators, to 0.7%.

The indicator measures the national average cost incurred by municipalities to provide the urban sanitation service, expressed per inhabitant and per kg of waste generated. In 2024, the average annual management cost was EUR 214.4 per inhabitant and 41.8 euro cents per kg of municipal waste generated.

At macro-geographical area level, the total annual per capita cost of the service was highest in Central Italy, at EUR 256.6 per inhabitant, corresponding to 47.4 euro cents/kg, followed by Southern Italy, at EUR 229.2 per inhabitant, corresponding to 49.8 euro cents/kg, and Northern Italy, at EUR 187.2 per inhabitant, corresponding to 35.0 euro cents/kg.

In 2024, national municipal waste (MW) generation stood at just over 29.9 million tonnes, increasing by 2.3%, corresponding to 664 thousand tonnes, compared with 2023.

In 2024, the ratio of the quantities of organic waste recycled to the quantities collected separately was 82.1%, increasing both compared with 2023 (80.9%) and with 2022 (79.9%).

European legislation sets ambitious recycling targets for 2025 and 2030 for packaging waste, which represents one of the main waste streams monitored. The recycling rate of packaging waste, calculated as the ratio between the quantity of waste recycled and the quantity of waste generated, monitors progress towards a circular economy by assessing its reintroduction into industrial cycles as secondary raw materials.

With a view to ensuring uniform conditions for measuring the new targets, based on the actual quantity of packaging waste reprocessed into new products, materials or substances, stringent calculation methodologies have been defined at European level. With the application of the new methodologies, the targets set for 2025 have already been achieved for all packaging fractions, including plastics.

For the plastic fraction, however, increasing recycling remains a priority in view of the 2030 target (55%), including through the development of new treatment technologies, especially for those types of waste that are currently difficult to recover through mechanical processes.

In 2024, the preparing for re-use and recycling rate, calculated using Method 4 and excluding C&D waste from households, stood at 52.3%, thus exceeding the target set for 2020 (50%).

The indicator measures the quantity of waste sent to biological treatment and, in particular, to composting, integrated anaerobic/aerobic treatment and anaerobic digestion. In 2024, the total quantity of waste recovered through biological treatment processes, approximately 9.3 million tonnes, increased by 518 thousand tonnes compared with 2023, corresponding to +5.9%.

A similar trend was also observed for the share of organic waste from separate collection, whose managed quantity increased from 6.9 million tonnes to approximately 7.2 million tonnes, showing a rise of 271 thousand tonnes (+3.9%).

In 2024, the quantity of municipal waste incinerated, including SRF, solid recovered fuel, the dry fraction and biodried waste obtained from the treatment of municipal waste, amounted to almost 5.5 million tonnes, corresponding to a 0.7% decrease compared with 2023. Of this waste, 74.8% was treated in Northern Italy, 8.1% in Central Italy and 17.1% in Southern Italy. The incineration capacity is mainly located in the northern regions, with 25 facilities, while 4 and 6 plants were operational in Central and Southern Italy, respectively.

In 2024, the total amount of municipal waste disposed of in landfills amounted to over 4.4 million tonnes, and the number of operational landfills is equal to 102 plants. There was a reduction, compared to 2023, in the total quantity of urban waste disposed of in landfill equal to 3.7% (-170 thousand tons), and in the number of operational sites equal to 8.9% (-10 facilities). 

In 2024, the separate collection rate was 67.7% of national municipal waste generation, increasing by 1.1 percentage points compared with 2023 and remaining above the target set by legislation for 2012 (65%).
 

The indicator measures the quantity of waste sent to mechanical/mechanical-biological treatment, which in 2024 amounted to a total of 9 million tonnes. Compared with 2023, an increase of more than 91 thousand tonnes (+1%) was observed in the quantities treated in the plants under consideration, attributable exclusively to an increase in the quantities of waste falling under Chapter 19 of the European Waste List and generated from the treatment of municipal waste.

Conversely, a 4.4% reduction, corresponding to approximately 308 thousand tonnes, was recorded in the quantity of mixed waste, together with a 3.4% decrease in special waste, corresponding to approximately 10 thousand tonnes.

Under the pressure of community policies, the flow of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) has assumed a role of primary importance within the waste cycle for the implementation of the principles of the circular economy, also for the purposes of the supply of Critical Raw Materials. Compared to waste in general, WEEE is characterized by the presence within it of both dangerous substances and materials with high economic value. The legislative provisions have therefore established measures aimed at protecting the environment and human health by preventing or reducing the negative impacts deriving from the design, production of electrical and electronic equipment and the production and management of waste resulting from them. The recycling industry becomes fundamental for the transition towards the circular economy: in fact, it allows material flows deriving from waste recovery to be reintroduced into production cycles, increasing the efficiency of resources to achieve sustainable development objectives and avoiding the importation of raw materials. Given an overall collection of WEEE equal to approximately 510 thousand tonnes in 2023, the percentage of preparation for reuse and recycling is equal to 84.2% and that of overall recovery is 93.9%.

Waste from construction and demolition operations constitute, in absolute terms, the most significant flow of Waste from Economic Activities produced at both a European and national level. The construction sector, through the intense use of natural resources, generates strong impacts on the territory and a progressive impoverishment of the raw material due to the opening of natural aggregate quarries. The European Commission has, therefore, considered it a priority to monitor the flow of waste from construction and demolition activities by setting, in Article 11 of Directive 2008/98/EC on waste, a specific objective of preparation for the reuse, recycling and other types of recovery of material, including reclamation operations that use waste to replace other materials. In 2023, the recovery and recycling rate of construction and demolition waste stands at 81%, above the 70% target set for 2020 by Directive 2008/98/EC.

The analysis of the data relating to 2023 shows a decrease in recycled/recovered quantities compared to the previous year. The causes can be found in the decline in annual radiation certified by the P. R. A. Registry. Of the Ministry of Transport, in the international situation which has generated delays in the supply of raw materials for the construction of cars and the consequent crisis in the sector, with large delays in both production and delivery. Overall, the supply chain achieves a reuse and recycling percentage equal to almost 86% of the average weight of the vehicle, above the 85% objective set for 2015 by the art. 7 paragraph 2 of Legislative Decree 209/2003.

The indicator measures the quantities of Waste from Economic Activities that are intended abroad for the purposes of recovery and disposal. In 2023, the total amount of special waste exported is 5.5 million tons, of which 3.7 million tons are non-hazardous waste (67% of the total) and 1.8 million tons are dangerous waste (33% of the total). The major quantities of waste are intended for Germany and Austria, respectively about 1.2 million tons and over 700 thousand tons.

The indicator measures the quantities of Waste from Economic Activities that are imported for the purposes of a recovery in production activities. The special waste imported into Italy in 2023 (over 6.8 million tons) consists almost exclusively of non-hazardous waste (98.5%); The dangerous waste, in fact, is 101 thousand tons (1.5% of the total imported). The greater quantity comes from Germany, over 1.8 million tons (26.7% of the total imported), consisting almost entirely by non-hazardous waste (the dangerous waste is only 3,573 tons), purely metallic waste. Switzerland follows, with over 1 million tons (15.4% of the total), consisting mainly of earth and rock waste.

After the 2.1% drop observed in the previous two-year period 2021-2022, in 2023 the overall production of Waste from Economic Activities generated by the national production system (industrial, commercial, artisanal, services, but also of waste treatment and environmental remediation) returns to increase attesting to almost 164.5 million tons (+1.9% compared to 2022, corresponding to more than 3 million tons).

Non -hazardous waste, which represent 93.8%of the total waste produced, have an increase of 2.8 million tons (+1.9%), the dangerous ones of 193 thousand tons (+1.9%).

With regard to the construction sector, the incentives arranged by the government for the renovation of the properties aimed at the energy redevelopment of buildings have continued. These construction/renovation works together with the activities of construction sites intended for the construction of infrastructure and public works and housing and commercial construction have generated more quantities of building and demolition waste.

In 2023, approximately 1.1 million tons of special waste were sent for incineration, of which nearly 690 thousand tons (64.7% of the total) were non-hazardous and almost 376 thousand tons (35.3% of the total) were hazardous.

The incineration plants in operation treating such waste amounted to 74, of which 44 were located in the North, 8 in the Center, and 22 in the South.

Consistent with the distribution of the plant infrastructure, the majority of Waste from Economic Activities was treated in plants located in the North (82.6% of the total, nearly 880 thousand tons), followed by the southern regions (15.4%, 164 thousand tons) and the central regions (2%, about 22 thousand tons).

The indicator shows the amount of Waste from Economic Activities disposed of in landfills by category and by type of waste and the number of landfills. In 2023, the quantities of Waste from Economic Activities overall disposed of in landfills amount to 7.9 million tons, equal to 4.4% of the total quantity of Waste from Economic Activities 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.

The indicator measures the total quantity of Waste from Economic Activities started for the recovery operations (R1-R12) referred to in Annex C of Legislative Decree 152/2006. In 2023 the quantities of recovered special waste are consistent, equal to 74.1% of the total managed (178.9 million tons) and the trend is constantly growing (+1.8% in the last three years). The total amount of special waste recovered amounts to 132.6 million tons, of which 4.1 million tons are dangerous. The region with the greater quantity of Waste from Economic Activities recovered is Lombardy (27.7%of the recovered total), followed by Veneto (10.8%) and Emilia-Romagna (8.5%).

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%.

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. 

The indicator is useful for monitoring progress toward a circular economy, allowing for the identification of the quantities of materials reintroduced into the economy following waste treatment. Compared to the total amount of waste sent for recovery and disposal operations, more than three-quarters of the treated waste is recycled, placing Italy among the countries with the highest recycling rates.