Mario Grosso
Associate Professor at the DICA Department of Politecnico di Milano
Europe’s transition toward a circular economy is no longer a policy ambition; it is a concrete, engineered reality. Recycling is defined as the reprocessing of waste into new products or materials, clearly distinguished from energy recovery. For 2030, the EU has set two key targets for municipal waste: at least 60% of municipal solid waste generated must be prepared for reuse or recycled under the Waste Framework Directive, a binding obligation for each individual EU Member State, and municipal residual waste should be reduced by half under the Circular Economy Action Plan and the Zero Pollution Action Plan, a non-binding commitment at EU level.
Within the European framework, Italy has emerged as a leading example, distinguished by its high-performing waste management system, advanced treatment technologies, and well-organised network of facilities. With a packaging recycling rate reaching 76% in 2024, the country demonstrates how ambitious targets can be translated into measurable results. A key pillar of this success is its Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) model, coordinated by CONAI and other consortia, which effectively links municipalities, packaging producers and recyclers through an environmental contribution mechanism that finances separate collection and ensures the recovery and recycling of materials.
Federica Dei
Researcher and environmental engineer at the AWARE Group at Politecnico di Milano
The result is an integrated system where source separation feeds advanced sorting technologies, such as NIR optical sensors for packaging, and efficient sorting and recycling chains for plastic, paper, glass and aluminium. The benefits are tangible: recycling aluminium saves up to 95% of the electricity required for its primary production; glass cullet reduces furnace energy demand and raw material use; recycled paper cuts energy consumption by around 40% and water use by 60%. This is circular economy in action: minimising residual waste, preserving resources, and ensuring that materials and resources remain in productive loops for as long as possible.
But discussing recycling systems theoretically is not the same as experiencing them in operation. ISWA offers a unique opportunity to step inside this advanced ecosystem, and we invite all professional waste management professionals (whether in the private, public or academic sector) to join the ISWA Italy Study Tour, taking place from 11–15 May 2026. Participants will observe waste collection “on the field” in Milan, learn about the EPR framework at CONAI, and visit cutting-edge facilities for plastic sorting and recycling, textile recovery, paper sorting, WEEE treatment and aluminium remelting. From municipal collection logistics to high-tech polymer separation and metal recycling, the tour connects policy, technology and practice into one coherent learning journey. For professionals committed to waste recycling and circular economy strategies, this is more than a technical visit; it is a call to action. Come and see how integrated systems, smart financing mechanisms and advanced material recovery can turn waste into value and bring those lessons back to your own cities and organisations.
Organised together with ATIAISWA ITALIA, Politecnico di Milano and the ISWA Working Group on Recycling and Waste Minimisation, participants of the ISWA Study Tour 2026 in Northern Italy will gain practical competencies to:
- Structuring sustainable recycling systems within the regulatory and policy framework of the circular economy.
- Designing, financing, and operating material recovery and recycling facilities at small and medium scales.
- Implementing effective collection strategies for both municipal and commercial waste streams
- Managing residual waste fractions, including hazardous components, in line with best environmental practices.
The final registration deadline is 15 March 2026, with limited spots available. Join the tour yourself, recommend it to a colleague, or promote it within your organisation. ISWA also offers scholarship opportunities to make the study tour accessible to the wider community.
