Circular Economy for biowaste in Italy
Italy is one of the EU countries leading the
separate collection of MSW: in 2024, a quota
of 67,7% (including biowaste, packaging waste,
WEEs and others) of all MSW was separately
collected and recycled. Biowaste accounts
for 37,8% of sources segregated waste.
More than 53 million inhabitants are involved
in intensive collection schemes for biowaste
(foodwaste + greenwaste) diverting about
7,7 Mtons of biowaste from disposal to recycling.
Hence over the last 35 years, an industrial sector
for biowaste recycling has developed and
consolidated in Italy.
In 2024, there were 344 composting
or Anaerobic Digestion & Composting
facilities, that have treated 9,3 Mt
of organic waste.
The Italian Compost and Biogas Consortium
estimateabout 2.000 workers directly
employed in biowaste sector and 10.000
employees in the other activities related
to the biowaste recycling (i.e. collection,
technical support for planning and
building plants, activities to promote the use
of compost), with high growth
forecast in the future.
COMPOSTING
MATERIAL RECOVERY
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
ENERGY and MATERIAL RECOVERY
WASTE TREATED IN 2024
3,5 Mtons/year
WASTE TREATED IN 2024
more than 5,8 Mtons
