Time.news – “It is now an established fact that in our country there is a state of continuity national emergency on a never resolved issue: waste “, “we can turning a national emergency into an opportunity“. The guarantor of the Five Star Movement writes, Beppe Grillo on his blog.
“A problem of colossal dimensions. There has been a lot of talk, and for a long time, about the circular economy, but who really tries their hand at this? Who is really working to change our country today? Italy is once again in danger of remaining behind in Europe on an issue which, moreover, can represent a great opportunity of an economic and social nature “, he adds.
According to Grillo, some national groups, “such as Eni, which is already committed to some of these industrial sectors, (see Novamont, Matrica etc … which promote a model of Bioeconomy focused on the use of resources and territorial regeneration), could see the waste sector as the necessary push to complete its transformation process towards the green economy. We could finally exploit skills that risk being lost, along with associated jobs. “
Italy, adds Grillo, “has one waste production of approximately 185 Mt per year, with a total turnover of over 25 billion euros. Modern society is the most effective waste producer in history. An incredible business that Italy has never been able to exploit. For example, we have never been able to develop a sector with major European operators as opposed to France, Germany and Spain (which today boast some of the first operators in the world). We have one instead strong fragmentation with around 4,000 operators where the first 5 account for less than 20% of the total turnover “.
“In Italy – continues the guarantor of the M5S – there is still too much use of landfills and in particular in the Center-South, the lack of systems is so marked that it requires us to transfer large quantities of waste to other destinations (including abroad). It amounts to more than one billion euros per year for the export expenditure of Italian waste, with various other negative effects such as loss of tax revenue, loss of competitiveness, fewer jobs. Every year we employ hundreds of thousands of trucks in the transport of waste between Regions and it is estimated that about 45 Mt / y of waste travel over 100 km, it’s crazy “.
According to Grillo it is “a situation no longer manageable, which favors the proliferation of eco-mafias, those criminal associations dedicated to the traffic and illegal disposal of waste, as well as the fires and the obstructions of the same, real ecological bombs, whose future costs in terms of health will fall entirely on the community “.
“To date, to reach the European targets, defined by the Circular Economy Package on urban waste, over 10 billion in investments will be needed. Who will put this money? Who will we give the business to? Will we send what is called a precious raw material abroad again? Instead of perhaps creating the new reference center or the new bandwagon company, in reality we have skills that are currently unexpressed and badly (or little) used already available. We could really create a supply chain of great value by putting our “National Champions” in collaboration. ”
“We have several excellences also in the manufacturing sector that could further invest in the reuse of recovered materials in production processes (and we are not the latest arrivals!). We have several important Italian companies (A2A, HERA, IREN, ACEA, ITEA etc.) experts in waste treatment and partially also in the recovery of materials. But unfortunately at the moment they manage to cover only part of the real national needs “, continues the guarantor of the Movement.
“Other national groups, such as ENI, which is already committed to some of these industrial sectors, (see Novamont, Matrica etc … which promote a Bioeconomy model focused on the use of resources and territorial regeneration), could see the sector of waste as the necessary push to complete its transformation process towards the green economy.
We could finally exploit skills that risk being lost, along with associated jobs. ”
“We must now investing in new infrastructures essential for the ecological transition. For example in anaerobic digestion plants with associated production of biomethane (also consistent with the energy transition), and advanced selection and treatment plants for recyclable fractions (eg paper / cardboard, glass, metals, wood, plastic, electrical and electronic waste) .
There new standards are needed. We must de-tax (and from time to time) those who put recycled materials back into production cycles, introducing the tracing of supply chains, and we must instead tax more those who use non-recycled materials. We find ourselves in an upside-down world: green products cost more than super polluting ones.
“In the face of this, I want to send a message from the top of ENI: why not take advantage of this great opportunity, fighting, together with the institutions, the battle of waste processing treatment? Why not take the opportunity of a real transformation, of a real development of our country? “, He continues.
“Why not use your skills of know-how, organizational ability, and financial power to give back to your country the opportunity to be a leader in a sector that is as necessary as it is potentially profitable and cutting-edge? We can’t waste this moment again with a half-way change. The debate is open! Courage “, concludes Grillo.
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