Recycling of Absorbent Personal Products (PAP) and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): state of the art and prospects

The National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) is an important opportunity to accelerate the achievement of the ambitious global and European objectives for 2030 and 2050, which aim to progressively and completely decarbonise the system and strengthen the adoption of circular economy solutions. This scenario includes the projects relating to the creation of innovative treatment/recycling plants for absorbent materials for personal use (PAD).

In Europe, every year, approximately 8.5 million tonnes of these materials (including diapers and incontinence pads) end up in a landfill or in an incinerator, 900,000 tonnes per year in Italy alone. Now, in our country, over 16 million citizens already have access to PAP separate waste collection services, with a very strong growing trend. The introduction of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Personal Absorbent Products (PAP) is a fundamental step towards closing the loop, making citizens and producers responsible and making the supply chain economically self-sufficient.

Session Chairs

Andrea Minutolo, Legambiente 

Program

14.30 Introduction by the Chairs (Presentation of the Research on EPR)

14.50 Speakers:
Paolo Contò, Consiglio di Bacino Priula  
Andrea Favalessa, Contarina
Maurizio Barbati, ESA-Com  
Ugo Salvoni, Ascit
Marcello Somma, I-Foria  
Luca Proietti, Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (TBC)

15.50 Q&A session

16.00 Closure by Stefano Ciafani, President of Legambiente Nazionale