Municipal waste incineration volume in Italy 2013-2023

The amount of municipal waste incinerated in Italy amounted to approximately 5.5 million metric tons in 2023, up from some 5.3 million metric tons the previous year. Incineration is the process of treating waste through combustion, often to produce energy, which in turn is used to generate electricity and heat. This is commonly referred to as waste-to-energy.   

Incineration of municipal waste in Italy

The number of incineration plants in Italy stood at 36 in 2023, the majority of which were located in the north of the country, in regions such as Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna. Meanwhile, there were just five incineration facilities across the central regions, and six in the south. That year, recovery of material, biological treatment of organic waste, and landfill disposal were the most common types of municipal waste treatment in Italy, together with incineration.  

Waste-to-energy and emissions

Between 2011 and 2023, the amount of energy generated from biomass and waste in Italy increased from 10.8 terawatt-hours to 16 terawatt-hours. On the other hand, the levels of annual greenhouse gas emissions from incineration have been falling over the last three decades.