Paper, separate waste collection in 2024 grew by 3.5%

In 2024, separate collection of paper and cardboard grew in Italy, reaching 3.8 million tons: 131 thousand more than in 2023 (+3.5%). This is what the annual report of Comieco, the national consortium for the recovery and recycling of cellulose-based packaging, shows, now in its 30th edition: an opportunity to also celebrate the 40th anniversary of the organization, born before the Ronchi decree that gave birth to the system of recycling consortia.

"Thirty years ago, Italians separated just over 500 thousand tons of paper and cardboard. Collecting 10 kg per person", says Carlo Montalbetti, general manager of Comieco: "In 2024 we reached 65.4 kg per capita. With increasing trends in the North, Center and South and the record of Emilia-Romagna of 99.7 kg per inhabitant", while Campania is the least virtuous and stops at 42.5. "For 10 years, the South has been growing steadily and in 2024 for the first time it exceeded the symbolic average threshold of 50 kg per capita, almost reaching one million tons overall with an increase of 2.5%. A progressive acceleration also the result of the numerous special projects launched, starting with the Extraordinary Plan for the South, financed by Comieco with 3.5 million euros", explains Amelio Cecchini, president of the consortium.

The North maintains its leadership with over 83 thousand additional tons and an average increase of 4.4%, driven by Veneto (+9.5%) and Lombardy which, with over 613 thousand tons collected, confirms itself as the region with the highest absolute volumes. The Center grows by 2.8%, with Umbria recording the best percentage increase (+7.8%) and Lazio the greatest quantitative increase (+13,400 tons). In the South - which overall reaches a million tons of paper and cardboard - the two islands achieve the best performances: Sicily, with a leap of 10 thousand tons more collected, and Sardinia, which exceeds the threshold of 60 kg per capita, approaching the national average and confirming its leadership in the macro-area.

On the occasion of the presentation of the annual report, Comieco signed an additional agreement with the municipality of Cagliari, to further strengthen the paper and cardboard collection and recycling service at public offices and launch information campaigns: «This agreement represents the synergy and the will of Comieco and the municipality to continue a path of collaboration that has already borne important fruit and that, with these new actions, will be able to make Cagliari an even more advanced model of waste management», comments Massimo Zedda, mayor of the city and Energy and Waste delegate of Anci.

Cellulose packaging waste is present in the separate waste collection and comes from selective collections: in total, in 2024 Comieco recycled 4.6 million tons out of 5 million tons placed on the market: 92.5% (substantially stable compared to 92.3% in 2023), well above the 85% that the EU requires for 2030. In the last year, the consortium transferred 231 million euros to the participating municipalities (91% of the total) as compensation for the collection activity, 30 more than in 2023, to which another 57 million euros are added for processing in the plants.