PRESS RELEASE
Comunicato n. 6 del 28/10/2026 ( download download )
● A larger exhibition area with a record occupancy of approximately 170,000 m2 and 30 halls
● Debuts for the new Textile sector and the Africa Investment HUB
● More space for Waste as a resource; a reorganised Water Cycle & Blue Economy area in the Expo Centre’s east wing
● Areas for national institutions in the South Hall
Rimini, 28th October 2026 – Ecomondo 2026 (Rimini Expo Centre from 3rd to 6th November) will have a new layout. The exhibition offer will be arranged into themed areas and sector-specific districts spread across approximately 170,000 m2 of floor space and occupying a total of 30 halls.
THE EXHIBITION ITINERARY
Halls A1–A7 and C3–C7 (the Expo Centre’s West Wing) and B1–B4 (the East Wing), will host the Waste as Resource exhibition sector for waste management and recovery, which has always been at the heart of the event. The area has been expanded and will be organised into four sections dedicated to: Collection Vehicles & Containers; Street Cleaning & Maintenance; Material Handling & Lifting; Treatment Machinery; and Recycling & Integrated Waste Management.
Halls C1, C2 and D1 will house the Sites & Soil Restoration area for remediation technologies and contaminated site management.
Hall D2 will host the debut of Textile, a new addition to the Ecomondo 2026 layout, which aims to serve as a leading international hub for the entire supply chain at a crucial moment for implementing new European regulations relating to sustainability in the sector.
Hall D3 and part of Hall D4 will feature the Circular & Regenerative Bio-economy, which focuses on processes linked to the regenerative economy and the bio-economy, chemistry from renewable sources (bioproducts, bioplastics), eco-design and repair services. Halls D5, the remaining part of D4, and Hall B5, on the other hand, will host the Bio-Energy & Agriculture sector, where visitors will not only be able to learn about bio-based circular production processes, but also keep up to date with the latest technologies for the recovery of agricultural and non-agricultural waste, the production of biogas and biomethane, and, more generally, the latest developments in the bio-economy supply chain.
In the East wing near the entrance to Rimini Expo Centre, the Water Cycle & Blue Economy sector will extend across Halls B6–B7 and D6–D8. The area, larger than in 2025, will be organised into five sub-sections: Blue Economy; Trenchless Technologies; Pumps & Flow Control Systems; Water, Wastewater & Sludge Treatment; and Water Supply Systems.
Lastly, the Earth Observation & Environmental Monitoring area (Hall B8) will focus on Earth observation and the monitoring and control of the environment, biodiversity and primary agroforestry production with new satellite monitoring technologies which, together with Big Data and AI models, offer an opportunity to tackle climate change, with particular regard to hydrogeological instability, green area protection, soil, water resources and urban health. This sector forms a natural continuation of the water cycle areas by presenting technologies for the management of this resource.
The Africa Investment HUB will also be making its debut in Hall B8. Here, a number of African associations will be hosted to promote networking and business meetings.
THE DISTRICTS
The Ecomondo 2026 layout will also include vertical districts.
As part of the Water Cycle & Blue Economy section, the Blue Economy District will showcase projects relating to the oceans, seas and coastlines, whilst the Trenchless District, in collaboration with the Italian Association for Trenchless Technologies (IATT), will highlight trenchless (No Dig) technologies for the installation, rehabilitation and renewal of underground utility infrastructure such as electricity, gas and energy networks, water mains and sewers, thereby reducing open-air excavation, construction times, socio-environmental impacts, energy consumption and accidents on construction sites.
The Circular&Healthy City District for healthy and circular cities, will also be staged. Here, the aim is to rethink construction and urban planning, explore smart technologies for the benefit of cities, and improve environmental and public health by making the most of resources and optimising their recycling.
Furthermore, in collaboration with the Paper & Graphics Federation, Ecomondo will also feature a special focus on sustainability and circularity in the paper industry with a high-calibre exhibition offer and themed workshops.
The Innovation District will continue to be the hub of innovation. An area designed as an open innovation platform, it aims to connect young, cutting-edge companies in the ecological transition and circular economy fields with institutions, research centres and investors. This area will host 20 innovative start-ups and SMEs selected from a Call for Start-ups, as well as the Green Jobs & Skills project, which promotes the encounter between labour supply and demand.
The Lorenzo Cagnoni Award for Green Innovation will be presented to the most advanced and promising technologies in each of Ecomondo’s exhibition sectors.
The South Hall will host national institutions such as the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE), the GSE – Energy Service Manager, and the Emilia-Romagna Region, while international trade collectives will be accommodated in Hall B5. 14 delegations from Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Germany, Norway, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Spain and Switzerland will be in attendance representing over 100 companies.
INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS
Ecomondo 2026 is organised by Italian Exhibition Group with the collaboration of: the European Commission; UNIDO ITPO; Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security; Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI); Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy; Italian Trade Agency for the promotion and internationalisation of Italian companies abroad (ICE); Emilia-Romagna Region; Rimini Municipal Council; ANFIA (National Automotive Industry Association); ART-ER; Assoambiente; CBE JU (Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking); CIB (Italian Biogas Consortium); CIC (Italian Composter Consortium); CIHEAM (International Centre For Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies); CONAI (National Packaging Consortium); EBA (European Biogas Association); ENEA; ESWET (European Supplier of Waste-to-Energy Technologies); European Environment Agency; FAO (United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization); FEAD (European Waste Management Association); Sustainable Development Foundation; ISPRA (Environmental Protection and Research Institute); ISWA (International Solid Waste Association); Legambiente; OECD; RECYCLING EUROPE; UNACEA (National Union of Construction Equipment & Attachments Companies); UNICIRCULAR (Assoambiente section); UTILITALIA; Water Europe.
ABOUT ECOMONDO 2026
Event: International trade show; Organisation: Italian Exhibition Group S.p.A.; Frequency: annual; Edition: 29th; Dates: 3-6 November 2026; mail: ecomondo@iegexpo.it; Website: www.ecomondo.com; Facebook: www.facebook.com/EcomondoRimini; LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/ecomondo-the-green-technologies-expo
PRESS CONTACT IEG/ECOMONDO 2026
head of media & corporate communication: Elisabetta Vitali; press office manager: Pier Francesco Bellini, Marco Forcellini ; international press office coordinator: Silvia Giorgi; press office coordinator: Luca Paganin; press office specialists: Nicoletta Evangelisti, Mirko Malgieri; media@iegexpo.it
MEDIA AGENCY IEG/ECOMONDO: Smartitaly Communications
Sara Scatena, s.scatena@smartitaly.it, mob. +39 338 7836985; Francesca Pericolo, f.pericolo@smartitaly.it, mob. +39 327 986 1860.
Stampa estera – Giacomo Tortora, +39 320 7948164 – g.tortora@smartitaly.it
This press release contains forecast elements and estimates that reflect the management´s current opinions (´forward-looking statements´), particularly regarding future management performance, realization of investments, cash flow trends and the evolution of the financial structure. For their very nature, forward-looking statements have a component of risk and uncertainty, as they depend on the occurrence of future events. The effective results may differ (even significantly) from those announced, due to numerous factors, including, only by way of example: food service market and tourist flow trends in Italy, gold and jewellery market trends, green economy market trends; the evolution of raw material prices; general macroeconomic conditions; geopolitical factors and evolutions in the legislative framework. Moreover, the information contained in this release, does not claim to be complete, and has not been verified by independent third parties. Forecasts, estimates and objectives contained herein are based on the information available to the Company as at the date of this release.