Ricrea: educate and communicate to grow

Jul 01, 2021

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The 2020 data of the Ricrea Consortium show that Italians are becoming increasingly virtuous in terms of separate waste collection: 370,963 tons of steel packaging sent for recycling with over 4 kg collected per capita (+6%). And the credit goes to the education and training activities carried out by the consortium even in the midst of the pandemic.

Statements by the president, Domenico Rinaldini.

Domenico Rinaldini

Despite the restrictions that have severely affected the catering and non-food industry sectors, Italy confirms its European excellence in the separate collection of steel packaging (cans and tins, spray cans, crown caps, capsules, fancy boxes, milk, drums and drums).

According to the data released by the RICREA Consortium (National non-profit Consortium for the Recovery and Recycling of Steel Packaging, CONAI System) in 2020 a total of 370,963 tons of steel packaging will be sent for recycling, enough to build 3,700 km of railway tracks.

In 2020, 79.8% of steel packaging released for consumption was recycled, a percentage very close to that of the previous year (-0.8%), despite the fact that the pandemic had a major impact on the industrial component.

On the other hand, the data on separate collection in municipalities was very positive, also thanks to the commitment of citizens.

Compared to 2019, last year there was in fact a 6% increase in the per capita share of steel packaging collected, an average of 4.01 kg per inhabitant. A result favored by the increased time spent at home and the growing use of packaging for domestic use, but also a confirmation that the collection and recycling system in Italy is well tested, and that sustainability is a topic increasingly present in the common consciousness.

PunAiming at the quality of recycling.

“We are proud of the results achieved at such a particular time by the entire chain of recycling of steel packaging, a metal that is recycled indefinitely without losing its intrinsic qualities,” comments Domenico Rinaldini, President of RICREA. “These data highlight once again how we are already in line with the target of 80% set by European directives on the circular economy by 2030. On the other hand, the Consortium has been working for over 20 years to encourage, promote and facilitate collection and recycling, and our main objective now is to improve quality.”

We would like to remind you that, following the renewal of the ANCI-CONAI Framework Agreement, last June the new Technical Annex for steel packaging came into force for the five-year period 2020-24, which introduces new rules and pays particular attention to the issue of the quality of raw materials, rewarding the best bands with increases in the fees paid to municipalities.

The positive repercussions of a virtuous path, which begins in the homes of Italians with separate waste collection and ends in the steelworks with the rebirth of steel in the form of new products, have an important impact not only on the environment, but also on the economy. The steel packaging sent for recycling in 2020 has in fact allowed to save 7.732 TJ of primary energy and 417.000 tons of raw material, avoiding the dispersion of 629.000 tons of CO₂ equivalent.

The economic value of the material recovered in one year is equal to 19 million euros.

Communicating "eco-awareness", on the roads and via web

Ricrea's contribution to the diffusion of a shared environmental and social awareness.

Faithful to one of the institutional tasks of the Italian consortium system, Ricrea has systematically invented and put in place special educational actions, with the aim of involving young and very young people on the advantages of recycling steel packaging.

It is Domenico Rinaldini, president of Ricrea, who describes them: «There are currently three proposals that RICREA offers free of charge to schools: “Ambarabà RICICLOClò” at elementary school level, “Riciclick” at middle school level, “Yes I Can” at high school level. I would like to point out that, despite the Covid-19 emergency, the Consortium’s educational activities have not stopped and, as they are functional to distance learning, have continued in new ways; in fact, we have created new social channels and a dedicated website, which go by the name of “Ricreaedu”.

In particular, Ambarabà RICICLOclò enjoys the patronage of the Ministry of Ecological Transition, and invites classes to play with words to reflect on the advantages of recycling steel packaging through separate collection, composing nursery rhymes. With the eighth edition, we have also involved Italian schools abroad, thanks to the collaboration with the Directorate General for the Promotion of the Country System of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, which considers Ambarabà a valid tool for combining environmental awareness, attention to young people and promotion of the Italian language».

Speaking to the general public.

Although strongly conditioned by the Covid-19 which, especially in the first half of 2020, prevented in some cases the realization of events “in presence” (Capitan Acciaio and Treno Verde) and the transformation of some of them into online meetings (Circonomìa), the communication activity of the Consorzio Nazionali imballaggi Acciaio did not suffer great setbacks.

«In fact, we have guaranteed - Rinaldini goes on to say - the holding of Cuore Mediterraneo, a travelling initiative that takes place during the summer months to promote the sustainability of steel packaging and the importance of recycling in Italian ports and beaches: Alice, a very special correspondent, approaches yachtsmen and bathers to test their knowledge on the subject.

But this year, in less adverse conditions, there was also “The tomato good for you good for research”, the traditional crowdfunding event that binds for four years RICREA to Fondazione Umberto Veronesi, returned to the Italian squares in April 2021. In exchange for a donation of 10 euros, the Foundation’s volunteers distribute packages consisting of three cans of tomatoes: peeled tomatoes, pulp, cherry tomatoes. With 30 thousand cans of tomatoes distributed - concludes the president - the project that supports scientific research against pediatric cancers has collected more than 395,000 euros, thus helping to fund treatment for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The generosity of Italian citizens, once again, was not long in coming».