There are over 30,000 tons of plastic waste managed in 2022 by Ecopolietilene, the consortium for the collection of polyethylene goods, which last year doubled the volumes compared to 2021, confirming itself among the main players in a green supply chain for a particular, but above all a precious polymer such as polyethylene. Thus the path of consolidation of the consortium continues in the wake of a profound attention towards companies which, in compliance with the EPR principle – the extended responsibility of the producer – are called to take charge of the management of the waste that their products generate. It also continues in the name of great attention to the environment: last year Ecopolietilene promoted a series of projects and initiatives aimed not only at increasing and improving the collection of waste from polyethylene goods, but also at verifying new uses of the secondary raw material obtained from recycling processes.
In terms of numbers, in 2022 Ecopolyethylene increased the number of consortium companies by 25%: between manufacturers, importers, brand owners and distributors, there are 147 companies that refer to the consortium. The 30,198 tons of waste from polyethylene goods managed in collaboration with Ecolight Servizi represent an important step forward. In its second year of activity, Ecopolietilene increased the quantities managed by 117%, reaching over 8,500 missions throughout Italy. 61% of the collection involved flexible polyethylene goods, ie waste such as waste collection bags and covering and mulching films used in agriculture and livestock; the remaining 39% is represented by rigid goods such as, for example, pipes, nets and boxes used in construction, but also chairs and tables, housewares and objects used in restaurants and mass catering. The traceability system put in place by the autonomous system has made it possible to state that all 30,000 tons have been sent for recovery through the affiliated plants, thus giving new life to a material that is precious due to its characteristic of being entirely recyclable.
The action of Ecopolietilene in 2022 was also characterized by the development of projects dedicated to improving the collection of waste from polyethylene goods. In particular, two pilot projects for the “identification of waste of polyethylene goods in urban areas” were conducted in the provinces of Treviso and Salerno, to understand which types of waste are conferred to municipal ecological islands and to start experimenting with their separate collection . The consortium’s goal is to improve collection to improve the quality of waste that is sent to recovery plants and thus enhance the circular supply chain of polyethylene goods.