Packaging, with recycling 11.7 million tonnes of virgin material saved in 2023

Packaging, with recycling in 2023 the extraction of new virgin material for 11.7 million tonnes was avoided in Italy (11.6 in 2022, 11.8 in the record year 2021), the emission of more than 10 million tonnes of CO2 and the production of 50 terawatt-hours of electricity was saved. These are the environmental benefits reported in the new Conai Sustainability Report.

The benefits are also economic. In 2023, Conai generated a total turnover in Italy of over 3.3 billion euro (which rises to 15.5 if we consider the extended supply chain including those who use recycled material for new products). Starting from the revenues from the environmental contribution (Cac) asked of member companies, which in 2023 amounted to 718 million euros, a multiplier of 4.6 in terms of value generated for the Italian economy has been activated.

On the other hand, the actual contribution to the national GDP of the Conai system, i.e. the added value generated, amounted to EUR 1.9 billion, supporting a total of 23,199 jobs (respectively EUR 3.5 billion and 35,800 people considering the perimeter of the extended supply chain).

"For the first time, we have adopted a new calculation methodology to account for the value generated by proper packaging management: the benefits are both economic and environmental. This is certified by a new study conducted by The European House-Ambrosetti, of which we presented a preview at Ecomondo and which we now include in full in the Report," comments Conai chairman Ignazio Capuano.

"This is a document that goes beyond the measurement of results and bears witness to a deeper commitment: spreading an environmental culture that permeates the social fabric remains an essential part of the tasks assigned to us," adds Director General Simona Fontana.