Sardinia plastic waste crisis begins to ease as transfers resume

The plastic waste management crisis in Sardinia is beginning to ease as seasonal production peaks subside and transfers to mainland Italy resume. During a regional coordination meeting involving local mayors, provincial presidents, and environmental authorities, Corepla reported that approximately 2,500 tons of plastic packaging waste were transferred from Sardinia to mainland plants in September.

Further transfers are planned in the immediate future, with 2,600 tons scheduled shortly and an estimated 3,000 tons per month expected in the coming months. These shipments aim to manage both regular municipal waste and the accumulated backlog from August currently held at facilities in Macchiareddu, Sassari, and Olbia.

Despite the improvement, Corepla warned that medium-term difficulties cannot be ruled out. The recent crisis was driven by a collapse in the recycling market, where the economic value of recycled plastic fell significantly compared to low-priced virgin plastic imported from countries like China. This market shift caused companies to stop purchasing recycled materials, leading to the saturation of storage and selection centers during the high-tourism summer months.