In the latest Nielsen Global Environmental Sustainability Report, ben 81% of the interviewees declared that companies should make an active contribution in favor of the environment, starting right from the reduction of the impact of the products and the the packaging. Italy is already starting from a good position: according to 2019 estimates by Corepla (National Consortium for collection and recycling), in our country the recycling of plastic packaging stands at 46,2%. "Sustainability can no longer be just a slogan, but something measurable and verifiable," explains Renato Zelcher, president of EuPc, the association that brings together over 50 European plastics processors.
The Italian companies that find themselves in this crucial phase of technological innovation, both in the industrial process and in the reuse of waste materials, however, have to deal with the unknown factor of the effects of "Plastic Tax”. The provision will enter into force from July XNUMXst and at the moment the implementing decrees are not yet ready.
«The challenges of environmental sustainability that await us for the plastic sector - continues Zelcher - are enormous and push us to develop new ideas and new industrial processes. The European directive on single-use plastics has given a strong boost to the environmental sustainability of the entire plastic packaging supply chain. In Italy we are already at about 46% of plastic packaging recycling, we are among the first in Europe. Upcoming goals: 50% in 2025 and 55% by 2030. It should also be noted that the Corepla supply chain consortia pay around 400 million euros to the Municipalities every year».
There are currently no exact numbers, but the “plastic tax” according to the estimates of the trade associations, it will reduce the turnover of companies in the sector by 10-15%.. A real cleaver, especially for companies investing in research and development, even if the Government has promised to remodel it.
«It will not be a micro-tax at all, in our case the figure of 0,45 euro for each kilo of packaging - analyzes Renato Zelcher who is also the managing director of Crocco Spa - will have an impact of 15/20 million euros on a turnover of 115. Obviously all producers will be forced to reverse the tax "downstream". It scares the uncertainty that such a measure causes, for sure new investments for the current year will be blocked. Multinationals will do the same for Italian production sites. There are no similar provisions around Europe, so surely our companies will be penalized the most. We will act as a guinea pig and with the money raised we will go to finance Alitalia and the basic income».
