In Italy, as in other countries, the issues linked to environmental sustainability and protection, plus the reuse and better exploitation of raw materials, has spurred the use of new approaches to be adopted within production processes and business decision making. According, to the Eurostat data, we are by far the European country with the highest percentage of segregating and recycling of all types of wastes: 79%, double the European average (of only 39%) and well above all other large European countries (Germany is at 43%).
Over the years, Italy has attained high expertise in recovering and reusing a large pool of raw materials. In fact, companies from various sectors, such as woods, plastics, and wastewater, have heavily invested in tracking and monitoring capacities and in process ‘know-how’, to reach levels that permit collecting and recycling an array of wastes. Furthermore, investments in R&D have also contributed to the creation of machinery that is at the forefront of technology with unparalleled efficiency.
This demonstrates that technology investment, contributes significantly in mitigating the effects of waste disposal and in offsetting the effects raw materials usage. With the PNRR it is possible to grow further, to enhance current and create new technologies not only to manage waste but to create and obtain energy, new products or to extend their use.
This theme was the subject of the latest TSD 2021 dedicated to Environmental Sound Technologies and on the KS platform there are numerous public research prototypes ready to be enhanced for the betterment of the environment: click here
Maximum attention is required on these issues and the action of companies and specialized bodies that isolates the most promising news in the scientific field to work on their potential and transform it into progress and development.