Upcoming Trade Shows in Italy for Recycling

Italy’s recycling industry can teach countries worldwide how to approach waste management as the country is one with the highest municipal waste recycling rates in the EU. The country’s waste management sector has made significant strides, particularly in waste-to-energy and plastic recycling. However, as Italy continues to push towards a circular economy, challenges such as waste-based fuel handling, landfill reduction, and plastic pollution remain key focus areas. In addition to conventional recycling, Italy has established itself as a dominant player in the production and export of waste-based fuels. Refuse-derived fuel (RDF) and solid recovered fuel (SRF) are increasingly used as energy sources, reducing the reliance on landfilling. Italy is one of Europe’s largest exporters of these alternative fuels. Still, Italy faces a relatively low capacity for its own waste-to-energy plants, which necessitates the export of waste-to-energy materials. And as the costs of landfill disposal continue to rise alongside increasing environmental regulations, waste-to-energy solutions are set to play an even greater role in Italy’s waste management strategy. To optimize storage and transportation of these alternative fuels, smart and automated solutions such as bale wrapping have become essential. Cross Wrap Bale Wrappers, for example, are widely used for RDF and SRF in order to ensure tightly packed, easy-to-transport bales that maintain calorific value while reducing littering. Landfill disposal is increasingly being phased out across Europe, and Italy is no exception. The number of active landfills has been steadily decreasing, as both economic and environmental considerations push for more sustainable alternatives. With landfilling costs on the rise, businesses and municipalities are turning to recycling and waste-to-energy solutions to mitigate costs and meet stringent EU waste reduction targets. This is a big priority as Italy’s extensive coastline and Mediterranean location make plastic waste management a particularly pressing issue.