Composting in Italy: Current State and Future Outlook

Abstract

In this paper the existing composting plants in Italy, either in operation or that are about to come into operation in a short-to-medium time, are localized and the problems associated with two different approaches to composting are discussed: either from household waste that is not source separated or following the recovery and processing of sorted biomasses.

A general overview shows a large number of ‘conventional’ plants (n° 42), most of which were designed in the late ‘70–80s’. These must undergo deep, albeit gradual, changes in their productive process or, alternatevely, the organic component is to be biologically stabilized before dumping. The existing processes will be mantained only if there is evidence of actual opportunities to profitably use the compost.

Selected waste processing plants are rising fast (today they are at least 33) and some of them (at least the most efficient ones) have gained large market shares, due to their striking agronomic and environmental features.

These advances, however, may be in vain, if the existing legislation, not encouraging the production of high-quality compost, remains in force. Although, however, this seems to be about to be amended, unacceptable restrictions are likely to be introduced by the Ministry for the Environment in terms of environmental criteria related to the building of plants and compost quality standards (with special regard to the levels of some heavy metals, such as copper, zinc and lead).