Number of municipal waste landfills in Italy 2013-2022
In 2022, there were 117 municipal waste landfills across Italy. Less than 10 years earlier, the Mediterranean country had 180 landfills, and an overall decrease has been observed ever since. A landfill is a place intended for the disposal of waste — more specifically, waste that cannot be recycled or recovered. The volume of municipal waste landfilled in Italy has decreased considerably over time. In 2022, roughly 5.2 million metric tons of municipal waste were buried in landfills, whereas in 2012 this amounted to approximately 12 million metric tons.
Regional landfill waste in Italy
The southern region of Italy collects more waste to be sent to landfills than other areas of the country. In 2021, the quantity of municipal waste disposed at landfills in the south amounted to two million metric tons. In comparison, 1.4 million metric tons were collected in the northern regions.
Municipal waste management
Although huge quantities of waste are landfilled, the recycling rate of municipal waste in Italy surpassed 50 percent in recent years. This was one of the highest recycling rates in the European Union. In 2022, over one quarter of municipal solid waste collected in Italy was recovered. However, landfills still represented a relevant means in waste management, as they accounted for 18 percent of the treated waste in that same year.
