In 2023, each Italian citizen produced on average 496kg of rubbish, for a national total of over 29 million tonnes of municipal waste. These numbers that emerge from the new ISPRA 2024 Report help us understand not only how much we produce, but also where and how trends change over time. Production is greater in Northern Italy, but values are increasing throughout the peninsula. Globally, over 2 billion tons are produced, with the United States in first place.
In which areas of Italy does the most waste produce?
In 2023, each Italian produced on average more than 1kg of rubbish per day, generating just under half a ton of waste per person annually (496kg). However, the data tells of a country that is still very uneven: much more is produced in the North than in the South.
The area in which we produce the most is Northern Italy, especially in Emilia Romagna and Valle d’Aosta, with 639 and 620 kg per inhabitant respectively. Leading the national ranking is Reggio Emilia, where production even reaches more than 2 kg per day per capita (749kg). Followed by Ravenna and Rimini, two provinces which however also feel the impact of summer tourism.
At the other extreme, the regions with the least waste per capita are Basilicata (357kg), Molise (380kg) and Calabria (398kg). In cities like Potenza and Enna, production falls below 350 kilograms per year per inhabitant: less than half compared to Reggio Emilia.
Even in absolute values, Northern Italy produces the most (around 14.2 million tons, almost half of the national total), while the Center around 6.2 million tons and the South just under 8.9 million tons, for an overall national production of urban waste of almost 29.3 million tons.
Compared to 2022, all the Northern regions, with the exception of Liguria where production is slightly decreasing, have seen an increase in waste produced, in particular Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Veneto and Lombardy. In the Centre, production remained almost stable, while in the South there was a general decrease, with the exception of Molise and Abruzzo.
This means that the North, despite often being more efficient in separate waste collection, continues to produce more. However, these values are not necessarily a sign of “worse environmental behavior”, but rather reflect higher levels of consumption, greater urbanization and the weight of tourist and work flows.
In fact, the per capita figure for urban waste is calculated based on the resident population: this can distort the picture especially in those tourist resorts or cities of art which, hosting millions of visitors every year, produce a lot of additional rubbish compared to that of residents alone. In fact, in all 14 Italian municipalities with more than 200 thousand inhabitants (which together represent around 16% of the Italian population), the average production is 545 kg per inhabitant, 49 kilograms higher than the Italian average. Instead, in the South the lower standard of living and less urbanization lead to lower numbers, but also to different challenges in waste management.
The United States in the lead, Italy below the European average
Globally, over 2 billion tons of municipal solid waste are produced every year: if we could close them in containers and line them up, they would cover a greater distance than it takes to get to and from the Moon.
In the ranking of countries with the highest quantity of municipal solid waste per capita, the United States is in first place: each American produces on average almost one ton per year (942 kg), almost double that of us Italians. Followed by Canada (850 kg) and Australia (814 kg).
And in Europe? In 2022, approximately 229 million tonnes of municipal waste were produced, a slight decrease compared to the previous year.
In Europe, approximately 229 million tonnes of municipal waste were produced in 2022, a figure slightly decreasing compared to the previous year.
Italy, with its 496 kg per capita, is just below the European average of 511kg per year per inhabitant, far from both the countries with the highest production, such as Austria and Denmark (which exceed 800kg) and the countries with the lowest rates, such as Romania, Poland and Estonia (less than 400 kg).
