"The
recycling of materials is a fundamental commitment for a conscious management
of our future: not to waste, to reuse everything that is possible, even
transforming or regenerating it, in the logic of an increasingly sustainable,
fair, inclusive development".
These are the statements by Roberto
Cingolani, Minister of Ecological Transition, on the occasion of the World
Recycling Day, established in 2018 by the Global Recycling Foundation to raise
awareness in the international community on the importance of recycling. The
theme chosen by the organizers for this year was #RecyclingHeroes, the name to
recognize people, places and activities that are able to promote the important
role of recycling for an environmentally stable planet and a greener future
that everyone will benefit from.
Among the
possible initiatives, separate waste collection plays a central role. According
to a recent report published by Comieco, for 9 out of 10 Italians the separate
collection of paper and cardboard is an essential daily habit, which was
further consolidated during the pandemic. Conai also announced that Covid-19
has not slowed down the packaging recycling chain in Italy, whose total
recycling percentage exceeded 71% in 2020.
The event
represented an opportunity to reflect on how much recycling is an integral part
of the climate change cycle and helps to promote and protect global
sustainability. In this frame electronic waste should now be regarded as the
greatest threat to our planet, according to the
Global
Recycling Foundation. The United Nations has already warned that the current 53
million tonnes of e-waste generated every year will more than double by 2050
and the Founding president of the Global Recycling Foundation, Ranjit Baxi,
said that it may already be too late to stem the tide of the millions of
discarded smart phones and other electronic waste from fridges and TVs to
microwaves and PC monitors.
