QUANTITY OF RECOVERED SPECIAL WASTE

    Descrizione 1
    Update date
    Authors

    Gabriella Aragona, Lucia Muto

    Abstract
    Immagine
    Abstract

    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%). 

    Description

    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.

    Purpose

    The indicator aims to assess the effectiveness of waste management policies, particularly in promoting waste recovery and reuse, both in terms of materials and energy. 

    Policy relevance and utility for users
    It is of national scope or it is applicable to environmental issues at the regional level but of national relevance.
    It can describe the trend without necessarily evaluating it.
    It is simple and easy to interpret.
    It is sensitive to changes occurring in the environment and/or in human activities
    It provides a representative picture of environmental conditions, environmental pressures, and societal responses
    It provides a basis for international comparisons.
    Analytical soundness
    Be based on international standards and international consensus about its validity;
    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

    Legislative Decree 152/06, in line with the European Waste Management Strategy, establishes measures to promote waste recovery according to the priority criteria set out in Article 179. The waste hierarchy includes: 

    • Prevention 

    • Preparation for reuse 

    • Recycling 

    • Other recovery (e.g., energy recovery) 

    • Disposal 

    Additionally, Article 181, paragraph 3, mandates the adoption of measures to promote high-quality recycling. According to Article 183, paragraph 1, letter u), recycling is defined as: “any recovery operation through which waste is processed to obtain products, materials, or substances to be used for their original function or other purposes.” 

    DPSIR
    Pressure
    Response
    Indicator type
    Descriptive (A)
    References

    ISPRA - Rapporto rifiuti speciali - Edition 2024

    Frequenza di rilevazione dei dati
    Annuale
    Fonte dei dati
    ISPRA
    Data availabilty

    MUD Database, not accessible to the public

    Spatial coverage

    NaTional, regional

    Time coverage

    1997-2022

    Processing methodology

    The indicator is constructed by summing the quantities of special waste recovered according to the following recovery operations: R1: Primary use as fuel or other means to produce energy; R2: Regeneration/recovery of solvents; R3: Recycling/recovery of organic substances not used as solvents (including composting operations and other biological transformations); R4: Recycling/recovery of metals and metal compounds; R5: Recycling/recovery of other inorganic substances; R6: Regeneration of acids or bases; R7: Recovery of products used to reduce pollution; R8: Recovery of products from catalysts; R9: Regeneration or other reuses of oils; R10: Treatment in terrestrial environments for agricultural or ecological benefit; R11: Use of waste resulting from any of the operations indicated from R1 to R10; R12: Exchange of waste to subject it to any of the operations indicated from R1 to R11. The national data is provided disaggregated by region.

    Update frequency
    Year
    Qualità dell'informazione

    The indicator provides a representative overview of environmental pressures and meets specific information needs (objective: maximizing waste recovery in its various forms). It is also internationally comparable. Data is collected using standardized national methods and validated with shared methodologies, ensuring consistency over time and across regions. 

    State
    Good
    Trend
    Positive
    State assessment/description

    The quantities of recovered special waste are significant, representing 73.3% of the total managed (176.6 million tons), amounting to 129.4 million tons (Table 1).

    Trend assessment/description

    Between 1997 and 2022, the trend shows continuous growth, with the only significant decrease (-2.6%) occurring in 2012 compared to 2011 (Table 1), likely due to the economic crisis, which is consistent with the decrease in the quantities produced (-3%). Specifically, in the last decade (2013-2022), the quantities of recovered special waste increased by 49.9%.

    Comments

    The total quantity of recovered special waste (operations R1 to R12) amounted to 129.4 million tonnes in 2022, of which approximately 4.2 million tonnes were hazardous. Compared to 2021 (130.2 million tonnes recovered), there is a slight decrease of 0.6% (Table 1). Among the regions with the highest quantity of recovered special waste, Lombardy stands out (28% of the total recovered), followed by Veneto (10.9%) and Emilia-Romagna (9.2%) (Table 2 and Figure 1).

    Data
    Headline

    Table 1: Trend of the quantity of special waste recovered in Italy

    Data source

    ISPRA

    Data legend

    a The operations considered for the calculation of recovered special waste are the following:
    R1: Use principally as a fuel or other means to generate energy,
    R2: Solvent reclamation/regeneration,
    R3: Recycling/reclamation of organic substances not used as solvents (including composting and other biological transformations),
    R4: Recycling/reclamation of metals and metal compounds,
    R5: Recycling/reclamation of other inorganic materials,
    R6: Regeneration of acids or bases,
    R7: Recovery of components used for pollution abatement,
    R8: Recovery of components from catalysts,
    R9: Oil re-refining or other reuses of oil,
    R10: Land treatment resulting in benefit to agriculture or ecological improvement,
    R11: Use of waste obtained from any of the operations numbered R1 to R10,
    R12: Exchange of waste for submission to any of the operations numbered R1 to R11.

    Note

    The total quantity of special waste recovered from 2011 onwards also includes operation R12, which was not considered in previous years.

    Headline

    Table 2: Quantity of total special waste and hazardous special waste recovered by region

    Data source

    ISPRA

    Thumbnail
    Headline

    Figure 1: Quantity of special waste recovered

    Data source

    ISPRA

    English