Waste management for Italy is not yet the business that made the fortunes of countries like the Netherlands or Denmark. The operations that characterize the life of a waste, from its production to its disposal, enriches other countries and impoverishes us. In the last year in Italy has grown the amount of recycling but sheinfrastructure remains inadequate. And just in the days when we talk about lowering our dependence on imports of fossil fuels, we discover instead how advantageous it would be to have treatment plants available from which to obtain clean energy.
Currently everything revolves around the Strategy for the Circular Economy and al National Waste Management Program – PNGR, a guidance tool for Regions and Autonomous Provinces in waste management planning. These are two interventions that will absorb 2 billion euros of the PNRR over the next four years to fill the disparities between the Regions and push the local authorities in two directions: fight against NIMBY (not in my garden) and territorial self-management. The national framework is markedly discontinuous with areas that are "particularly efficient (Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna) and others that show significant deficits (Lazio and Campania)", write the REF research analysts – Andrea Ballabio, Donato Berardi, Antonio Pergolizzi and Nicolò Valle- in the latest work dedicated to the theme of waste.
Waste management in Italy: a REF study insists on decisive and binding actions
Examining the Preliminary Environmental Report of the Ministry for ecological transition, one looks with confidence to the next few months in the hope of a complete reform. The government intends to propose to stakeholder an overview of the existing plant engineering, broken down according to the infrastructural typology and regional location to give an incentive to private initiatives. It is certainly a good basis for the transition to a more sustainable and circular economy.
REF researchers give a positive judgment on the general intentions of the Minister Roberto Cingolanialthough not entirely sufficient. What needs to be improved? "Although it is not up to the PNGR to identify how many and which plants will have to be built, the Program will have to guide this choice from above, constituting a national planning tool, so that regional planning is really able to respond to the needs present in the country" .
Italy needs a radical reform that can nullify oppositions, doubts and contrary attitudes from the outset. Recent history is dotted with similar and antiquated positions costing millions of euros in sanctions by the EU. If politics were to question itself and overcome limits and prejudices, the coming months will require strong decisions.
"In our opinion - supports the study - the program will be able to offer answers and impulses to many questions and play an important role in coordinating regional planning". The point is that to do this it will not be able to limit itself to simple recommendations, but will have to equip itself with a strategy, with fixed deadlines and binding routes. “Or rather what has been missing up to now”.
The business will grow if macro-areas are defined through agreements between the Regions to rationalize the plants. The idea of a vast area is advanced with regard to the absolute production of municipal and special waste, the presence of waste incineration and pre-treatment plants. Certainly aspects of interest for waste treatment companies and energy companies. Alongside this, the service also needs to be improved collection without neglecting the costs that weigh on citizens. The average TARI amount of a family in 2021 was 312 € not counting the Regions that still use landfills.
Ref: “To be more effective in the prevention and reuse of waste”
Italy will not be able to aspire to a true circular economy if it does not identify strategic supply chains for success. The Environmental Report identifies three in waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), in waste from construction and demolition and in textile waste. To win an outdated battle it is necessary to collect quality indications and suggestions, separated from ideological visions.
That of the Technical Environmental Assessment Commission, reported by REF analysts, reminds the government to be more incisive in the prevention and reuse of waste. Territories can organize value chains themselves by putting them together industrial waste producers, households, management bodies. As can be seen in other contexts, there will be more effectiveness if the actions and policies that are put in place are also measurable in terms of efficiency and costs.
