Sustainable summer on beaches and mountains? Yes you can. If Ipsos in its recent research said that ecology is now an awareness for most people, the CoReVe - Consortium for the collection, recycling and recovery of glass waste - launches an appeal not to abandon the good holiday habits. In tourist resorts until September, more glass will be consumed than anything else. A material that can be 100% recycled, infinite times. In an already precarious general situation due to lack of plants and political hesitations, recycling companies are trying to run for cover.
2018 was an extraordinary year with a +8,4% glass differentiation nationwide. The Municipalities for the recovery of bottles and jars received around 79 million euros from the companies united in the Consortium. On balance, the system has allowed Italians to save 235 million euros, avoiding landfill disposal. Good management through industrial recycling now pushes companies to raise even more awareness among tourists and traders. This despite the fact that small and large tourist destinations are preparing to respond to the needs of travellers, choosing totally recyclable and environmentally friendly materials.
However, "almost 8 out of 10 glass packaging used daily in Italy is recycled", says Gianni Scotti, President of CoReVe. To reduce the environmental impact in the summer, the advice is not to leave good habits at home. The period records an increase in the production of waste in tourist resorts and an increase in the risk of incorrect disposal. What to recommend then? Find out about and follow the rules for separate waste collection in the locality where you are on holiday. Each Municipality is autonomous and has its own rules. Separate the products, use the bell jars for the glass, empty bottles and jars of residues, handle plastic correctly.
In the year of the boom in plastic free campaigns, citizens, shopkeepers and restaurateurs are the best defense against incorrect behaviour. Coreve is the Consortium responsible for the recovery objectives of glass packaging waste produced on the national territory. Created in 1997 by the main Italian glass groups it is not new to these campaigns that connect with those of other companies. The Ecolamp consortium, for example, announced that in the first six months of this year 1.023 tons of small appliances, consumer electronics and lighting fixtures and 903 tons of light bulbs were recovered.
Good news that is placed, however, in a context that is still not very edifying. According to the Report of the Institute for Environmental Protection (Ispra) the national production of special waste is now close to 140 million tons. 3% more than in 2016 which translates into a clear signal to the government to accelerate investments in new plants and not rely only on the sensitivities of families. In many parts of Italy it has been seen that it does not work, although it is of great strategic and political value.
If you are really working on a waste package, as Minister Costa says, it is best to present it as soon as possible. Confronting all interested parties and above all before other emergencies occur. That of Rome may be enough.
