Italy faces plastic recycling crisis amid shifting global waste trade

Italy maintains a high circularity rate for materials at 21.6% in 2024, nearly double the European Union average of 12.2%. However, the domestic plastic recycling industry is facing a severe crisis. Between 2021 and 2023, 25 production plants were closed due to falling turnover and record-low demand and prices for secondary raw materials.

Globally, the international trade of plastic waste and scrap fell to approximately 6.2 million tonnes in 2024, a 7.7% decrease from the previous year. This represents the sharpest annual decline since 2020. According to an OECD report, while trade within OECD countries accounts for 59% of global exchanges, there has been a 15% increase in exports to non-OECD countries, particularly toward Southeast Asian nations such as Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

Italy remains a significant player in this landscape, ranking as the ninth largest exporter among OECD nations.