E-waste mining a perspective for the Italian circular economy

Importance of raw materials

At the beginning of 2023, the European Commission presented the centrepieces of its strategy to ensure its industry can compete with the United States and China. The strategy’s main aim is to make clean tech products and access raw materials required for the green transition.

The EU executive’s Net-Zero Industry Act and Critical Raw Materials Act, part of its Green Deal Industrial Plan, are designed to ensure the bloc is not just a frontrunner in cutting carbon emissions, but also ahead on the technology required. There are signs it is lagging.

$3 trillion to the green transition by 2030

Commission President @Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament that the global investment in the green transition is set to triple by 2030 from $1 trillion last year. She has added that: “The race is on”.

Improving Italy’s circular economy

The EU set a target that by 2030 it will produce at least 40% of the clean tech products. It will be achieved partly by streamlining the granting of permits for green projects and by fostering investment. Right now the new step can be observed especially in rising recycling capacities. Last Wednesday Minister Gilberto Pichetto stated Innovation and a more circular economy will help Italy ensure supplies of critical raw materials as part of a European-wide bid to reduce reliance on foreign imports.

Italy according to Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin had a strong recycling record on electronic waste but a lot can be done in this subject. According to Minister @Gilberto Pichetto Fratin Italy recycled more than 35% of electronic materials related to vehicles, batteries, and other energy systems, against a world average of 17.4%. He admitted that: „The percentage of non-recycled products is a challenge but at the same time an opportunity to generate jobs, reduce emissions and strengthen our country’s energy security”. Another input is still ongoing works of the Italian government on the establishment of the National Table of Critical Raw Materials.

Revised energy and climate plan

According to Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin in a revised Italian energy and climate plan “Italy will cover around 40% of the country’s gross energy consumption through renewables by 2030”