Sicily's Sortino Tops Recycling at 82% as Taormina Wins Waste Management Award

Legambiente’s 33rd "Comuni Ricicloni" report shows that 9.5% of Sicily’s municipalities (37 out of 391) are classified as environmentally virtuous, covering about 290,000 residents (5.9% of the island’s population). The town of Sortino achieved a record 82.2% recycling rate and produced only 55.2 kg of non‑differentiated waste per capita, the lowest in the region. Siracusa, the regional capital, lags behind at 54% collection, well below the legal minimum of 65%. Taormina received special recognition from Comieco for exemplary paper and cardboard collection, highlighting effective waste handling despite tourist spikes. The report also highlights strong performances in small towns across Messina, Agrigento, Palermo and larger cities such as Ribera, Misilmeri, Mazara del Vallo and Scicli.