Italy , June 29, 2023 (press release) –
In April, three of our Italian recycling depots welcomed 250 children as part of the nationwide ‘RicicloAperto’ (Open Recycle) project. It was the perfect opportunity to educate children on the circular economy and help Italy continue to grow its municipal recycling rate.
The ‘RicicloAperto’ initiative was conceived by the Italian consortium for recovery and recycling of cellulosic-based packaging, COMIECO, to show both adults and children the reality of the paper and cardboard recycling supply chain. Launched in 2001, it provides answers to everyday recycling questions such as what happens to recycling after it’s collected and what role the public can play in increasing recycling rates. For over two decades, (apart from a break due to Covid-19), RicicloAperto has allowed Italians to go behind usually closed doors to see first-hand the value of recycling and how segregation and separate waste collections can boost the circular economy.
Over 100 venues across Italy take part, including paper processing companies, recycling and waste management plants – and even museums. At our DS Smith recycling depots, we welcomed 160 elementary and middle school pupils into our Ancona depot, while 50 visited our depot in Casarile, Milan and another 40 children went to our depot in Turin.
For even more fun, children and teachers were weighed on the depot's weighbridges!
Once inside our recycling depots, the pupils were split into smaller groups and given a tour of our production areas by the depot managers and plant coordinators. Here they could see for themselves how we carefully check, bail and treat the recycling from their municipal collections before it goes into our Paper Mills. In the depots’ meeting rooms, the children also learnt about the lifecycle of paper and the circular economy with the help of some educational games.
In all, ten DS Smith employees voluntarily gave a total of 28 hours of their time to welcome all three parties, which reflects our commitment to ensuring 100% of our sites worldwide are involved in community projects each year.
Continuing Italy’s story of recycling success
Since 2004, waste recycling rates have been growing among all the 27 EU member states, partly driven by EU recycling targets. In Italy, the recycling rate of municipal waste has nearly tripled over the same period – reaching 51.3% in 2019, which is above the EU average. In 2020, Italy was ranked 8th in Europe for municipal waste recycling rates.*
Packaging waste recycling has actually decreased in the past five years which is why getting involved with initiatives like RicicloAperto is so important
Clara Navarro Veiga
Recyclability & Sustainability Graduate
"Although more of Europe’s waste is staying in the supply cycle, the overall rate of progress is now slowing down. The European Environment Agency, packaging waste recycling has actually decreased in the past five years which is why getting involved with initiatives like RicicloAperto is so important”
With 24 sites across the country, we are already helping Italy to increase its recycling rates and meet its wider sustainability ambitions because our business operates in a circular way. The material our recycling division collects is used as a raw material by our paper and packaging operations and we can make, use, collect and recycle cardboard packaging within 14 days.
We are also innovating and investing in new technology. Our Lucca Paper Mill successfully developed a new paper and plastic fibre reject separation plant that ensures materials are kept in the supply cycle for as long as possible and that the maximum value is obtained. As a result, waste volume has decreased by 20% and valuable resources have been diverted from landfill or incineration.
During 2022/23, we also expanded our presence in the country by investing in a state-of-the-art, energy efficient packaging plant at Castelfranco Emilia in Modena. The site will now offer customers new ways to explore 100% recyclable packaging solutions and meet their circularity goals.
Building a more sustainable world for generations to come
At DS Smith we already have a proud history of projects that educate and involve young people in the importance of recycling. These include our Young Recyclers Scheme in the UK, eco classrooms in Hungary as well as Circular Economy lesson plans that we have created in 12 European languages for local schools. By 2030, as part of our Now & Next Sustainability Strategy, we are committed to engaging 5 million young people on the circular economy and circular lifestyles.
We are delighted to welcome children back to our recycling depots for this annual event because it’s crucial that we continue to promote separate collections and educate people on the importance of segregating waste to build the circular economy.
Giovanni Galimberti
General Manager, DS Smith Recycling Italia
"We are delighted to welcome children back to our recycling depots for this annual event because it’s crucial that we continue to promote separate collections and educate people on the importance of segregating waste to build the circular economy."
Learn more about our sustainability commitments
*Waste Recycling in Europe, 2022. European Environment Agency
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