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. 

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. 

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%). 

In 2022, 1.1 million tons of special waste were sent for incineration, of which approximately 699,000 tons (63% of the total) were non-hazardous and over 409,000 tons (37% of the total) were hazardous. The total number of plants that received special waste is 70, 27 of which are primarily authorized for the treatment of municipal waste. The majority of these plants are located in the North (43), with 7 in the Center and 20 in the South. In line with the distribution of the incineration plant fleet, the majority of special waste is treated in plants located in the North (83.9% of the total, over 929,000 tons), followed by the Southern regions with 13.8% (over 153,000 tons) and the Central regions with 2.3% (25,000 tons). 

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%. 

Construction and demolition waste represents, in absolute terms, the most significant flow of special waste produced both at the European and national levels. The construction sector, through its intensive use of natural resources, has a strong impact on the environment, leading to the depletion of raw materials due to the extraction of natural aggregates.

For this reason, the European Commission has prioritized the monitoring of construction and demolition waste flows, setting a specific target for reuse preparation, recycling, and other material recovery operations, including backfilling, under Article 11 of Directive 2008/98/EC on waste.

In 2022, the recovery and recycling rate for construction and demolition waste stood at 79.8%, exceeding the 70% target set for 2020 by Directive 2008/98/EC. 

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.

The indicator measures the national average cost borne by municipalities to provide urban sanitation services, expressed per capita and per kilogram of municipal waste generated. In 2023, the average annual management cost was €197.0 per inhabitant and €0.398 per kilogram of municipal waste produced.

At the macro-regional level, the highest annual per capita service cost was recorded in Central Italy, amounting to €233.6 per inhabitant (€0.437/kg), followed by Southern Italy at €211.4 per inhabitant (€0.464/kg), and Northern Italy at €173.3 per inhabitant (€0.345/kg).

In 2023, the Italian economy experienced a more moderate growth compared to previous years, with the Gross Domestic Product and Final Consumption Expenditure on the national territory increasing by 0.7% and 0.4%, respectively, compared to 2022. Municipal waste generation showed a slight increase (+0.7%) following a 1.8% decline recorded over the previous two-year period (2021–2022).

National municipal waste (MW) generation in 2023 amounts to approximately 29.3 million tonnes, marking a 0.7% increase (approximately +218,000 tonnes) compared to 2022.

In 2023, the ratio between the amount of organic waste recycled and the amount collected separately reached 80.9%, reflecting an increase compared to both 2022 (79.9%) and 2021 (80.7%).

European regulations set ambitious recycling targets for 2025 and 2030 for packaging waste, which represents one of the main monitored waste flows. The packaging waste recycling rate, calculated as the ratio between the amount of waste recycled and the amount of waste produced, tracks progress toward a circular economy by assessing the reintegration of materials into industrial cycles as secondary raw materials. To ensure uniform measurement conditions for the new targets based on the actual quantity of packaging waste reprocessed to create new products, materials, or substances, stringent calculation methodologies have been defined at the European level. With the application of the new methodologies, the targets set for 2025 have already been reached for all packaging fractions, except for plastics. To increase recycling rates, one of the action lines is the development of new treatment technologies, especially for those types of waste that are currently difficult to recover through mechanical processes.

In 2023, the preparation for re-use and recycling rate—calculated using Methodology 4 and excluding construction and demolition (C\&D) waste from household sources—stood at 50.8%, thus exceeding the 50% target set for 2020.

In 2023, the quantity of municipal waste incinerated—including Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF), dry fraction, and bio-dried material derived from municipal waste treatment—amounted to 5.5 million tonnes, marking a 4% increase compared to 2022. Of this total, 72.7% was processed in Northern Italy, 9.1% in Central Italy, and 18.2% in the South.

The incineration infrastructure is predominantly concentrated in the North, which hosts 25 operational plants, whereas the Central and Southern regions operate 5 and 6 facilities, respectively.

In 2023, the total amount of municipal waste disposed of in landfills amounted to approximately 4.6 million tonnes, with 112 landfill facilities in operation nationwide. Compared to 2022, this represents a 10.8% reduction in the total quantity of municipal waste landfilled (equivalent to -559,000 tonnes) and a 4.3% decrease in the number of operational sites (-5 facilities).

Nel 2023, la percentuale di raccolta differenziata è pari al 66,6% della produzione nazionale (29,3 milioni di tonnellate) (+1,4 punti percentuali rispetto al 2022), mantenendosi al di sopra dell’obiettivo fissato dalla normativa per il 2012 (65%).

The indicator measures the amount of waste sent for biological treatment, specifically composting, integrated anaerobic/aerobic treatment, and anaerobic digestion. In 2022, the total amount of waste recovered through biological treatment processes (approximately 8.4 million tons) showed no significant variation, with a slight increase of 47,000 tons (+0.6%) compared to 2021. However, the share of organic waste, which decreased from about 6.8 million tons to approximately 6.7 million tons (79.6% of the total treated), saw a decline of around 132,000 tons (-1.9%), mainly due to a lower contribution of biodegradable waste from garden and park maintenance.

The indicator measures the quantity of waste sent to mechanical-biological treatment (MBT), which in 2023 amounted to nearly 9 million tonnes. Compared to 2022, an increase of approximately 186,000 tonnes (+2.1%) was observed in the amount of waste treated at MBT facilities. This growth is entirely attributable to the rise in waste classified under Chapter 19 of the European Waste Catalogue (EWC)—waste from waste management facilities, off-site wastewater treatment plants, and water supply treatment for industrial use—originating from the treatment of municipal waste. In contrast, the quantity of mixed (unsorted) municipal waste treated decreased by 1.7% (124,000 tonnes).