Italy’s glass recycling rate climbs to 82% in 2025, reflecting stronger circular‑economy performance
Executive summary: Italy’s glass recycling rate reached 82% in 2025, a 2.5% rise compared with 2024, based on data from the Coreve recovery consortium. Higher recycling reduces demand for virgin raw materials, cuts energy use in glass production and supports the country’s circular‑economy and climate goals.
Who is involved: Coreve consortium, Italian glass manufacturers, waste‑management operators, packaging users
Likely next: Further incremental gains in recycling rates as collection expands, Potential new national targets aligned with EU packaging directives, Increased investment in glass‑recycling infrastructure
According to the Coreve consortium, the share of glass packaging waste that was recycled in Italy reached 82% in 2025, up 2.5 percentage points from the prior year. The increase shows that collection and sorting systems are working better and that manufacturers are using more recycled cullet. While the figure is still below the EU’s 2030 target of 90%, the steady upward trend suggests that national policies and industry initiatives are beginning to pay off.
Timeline
- — Vetro, in Italia continua a crescere il riciclo: all’82% nel 2025 (Il Sole 24 Ore — Economia)
- — Ets: solo il 9% dei proventi per il clima in Italia (la Repubblica — Economia)
Analysis — what this means
Likely next events
- Recycling rates may approach 85% by 2026 if current trends continue
Sectors affected
- Packaging
- Glass manufacturing
- Waste management
- Retail
Regulatory implications
- EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive revisions
- National incentives for recycling‑plant capital expenditure
Historical parallels
- Italy’s PET bottle recycling growth over the past decade
- Germany’s Dual System achieving >90% recycling for glass
- France’s steady rise in glass recycling rates
Key entities
Sources
- Vetro, in Italia continua a crescere il riciclo: all’82% nel 2025 — Il Sole 24 Ore — Economia
- Ets: solo il 9% dei proventi per il clima in Italia — la Repubblica — Economia
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