Municipal waste management in Italy
Introduction
Based on historical MSW data for each country and EU targets linked to MSW in the Waste Framework Directive, the Landfill Directive and the Packaging Directive, the analysis undertaken includes:
• The historical performance on MSW management based on a set of indicators; • Uncertainties that might explain differences between the countries’ performance which are more linked to differences of what the reporting includes than differences in management performance; • Relation of the indicators to the most important initiatives taken to improve MSW management in the country; and • Assessment of the future possible trends and achieving of the future EU targets on MSW by 2020.Italy ’s MSW management performance
The most important piece of Italian waste legislation was issued in 1997 (Legislative Decree 22/97). It shaped the national waste management system (defining the responsibilities of the actors involved), introduced targets about separate collection of municipal waste, established the National Packaging Consortium and provided for the progressive replacement of the old waste tax with a new waste tariff. The Decree was, then, abrogated by Legislative Decree 152/2006 which, however, included most of its provisions. The generation of MSW topped in Italy in 2007, with 32.5 million tonnes and has since then decreased to 32 million tonnes in 2010.