Over 1.6 Million Tons of Wood Recycled and Reused, Surpassing European Targets and Supporting the Country's Economy and Environment

by Marco Arezio

The wood recycling and reuse system in Italy has reached new levels of excellence, surpassing European averages. In 2023, the Rilegno Consortium recycled over 1.6 million tons of wood, 46.10% of which came from packaging.

This result represents a recycling rate of 64.92% compared to the 3.3 million tons of wood placed on the market. These numbers far exceed the 30% target by 2030 set by the new European Regulation (Ppwr) and improve on the 62.7% recorded the previous year, although absolute volumes are slightly lower (1.7 million tons in 2022 with 3.4 million tons placed on the market).

Growth of the Recycling Rate

The result achieved in 2023 is the highest in the last eight years, showing significant growth compared to the 60% of 2016. This figure demonstrates the effectiveness of the policies and practices adopted by the Rilegno Consortium to promote wood recycling.

The Reuse Sector

In particular, the reuse sector has seen a notable increase, with 909,210 tons of regenerated pallets reintroduced into the market, corresponding to over 70 million units. This increase underscores the importance of reuse as a key component in the sustainable management of wood.

Regional Distribution of Reuse

At the regional level, Lombardy stands out in reuse with 264,860 tons, accounting for 29% of the total, followed by Piedmont (133,754 tons), Veneto (110,849 tons), Emilia Romagna (108,883 tons), and Tuscany (101,364 tons). These data show a widespread distribution and strong commitment in various areas of the country.

Use of Recycled Wood

95% of recycled wood is used for the production of particle boards, essential for the furniture industry, as well as for other products such as pallet blocks, cement wood blocks for construction, biofilters, wood pulp for paper mills, and compost. The economic impact of these activities is estimated at around 3.1 billion euros, with over 10,000 jobs generated and a CO2 emission savings of 1.8 million tons.

Economic and Environmental Impact

Nicola Semeraro, president of Rilegno, emphasized the importance of reuse, which has exceeded 900,000 tons, highlighting the positive impact both environmentally and economically.

"The result achieved in a large market like Italy, second only to Germany, has determining consequences in relation to the wood placed on the market," commented Semeraro. The supply chain managed by Rilegno includes 1,957 consortium members, 384 collection platforms spread throughout the territory, and 16 recycling plants.

New European Regulations

In 2023, the EU presented the new packaging regulation, which sets ambitious goals and requires adequate economic means to be achieved. Semeraro added that despite the stringent regulations, environmental sustainability is a collective good that must be pursued at all costs.

Conclusions

This increase in wood recycling and reuse demonstrates how Italy is moving towards more sustainable resource management, significantly contributing to the reduction of CO2 emissions and economic savings, positioning itself as a virtuous model at the European level.