Two years ahead of the deadline set by the European Union. The regulation requires Italian municipalities to set up a separate collection service for food waste, including EN 13432-certified biodegradable and compostable packaging.
From 1 January 2022, separate collection of food waste will become mandatory in all Italian municipalities: organic waste will have to be collected separately from other types of waste. EN 13432-certified biodegradable and compostable packaging must also be collected together with food waste, so it can all be transformed into compost: in particular bioplastic carrier bags, but also fruit and vegetable packaging, plates, glasses and disposable tableware made of compostable material. This is required by Article 182-ter of Legislative Decree 152/2006, which incorporates into Italian law European Directive 2018/851 on waste.
This requirements comes into force fully two years before a similar commitment due to be introduced across the rest of the EU at the beginning of 2024. The regulation requires Italian municipalities to set up a separate collection service for food waste, to be implemented using reusable containers or compostable bags made from materials certified according to UNI EN 13432-2002.
The standard on the collection of organic waste and biodegradable and compostable plastic, introduced by the European directive and implemented early in Italy, is important because:
- it makes a further contribution to achieving the overall target for separate collection which, it should be recalled, should be at least 65% of municipal waste.
- it helps reach the target for the recycling of biodegradable and compostable plastic of at least 50% by 31 December 2025.
In addition, the positive environmental contribution of increased compost production through increased collection of food waste should not be underestimated; Italy sits towards the top of the European league table, with capacity to compost over 7 million tonnes, second only to Germany.
A changing of the guard is taking place in the management of Biorepack – the national consortium for the organic recycling of biodegradable and compostable plastic packaging, the seventh consortium in the CONAI system, as the Board of Directors has appointed Carmine Pagnozzi as the new general director.
Recycling explained by those who directly operate some of Italy's composting plants. Watch the videos.
The fight against illegality in the compostable bioplastic packaging sector intensifies with the introduction of an online platform created by Biorepack in collaboration with Assobioplastiche.
Italy serves as an example and has already done ‘a lot of work’ in using compostable packaging, particularly for food-related applications.
An estimated 37% of fruit and vegetables are sold packaged. In Paris, from 1 January, 30 types of fresh fruit and vegetables must be sold without plastic packaging.
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