Combustibile da rifiuti, allo studio la mappatura di produzione e fabbisogno

Secondary solid fuel (Css), produced from non-recyclable waste, is set to increasingly contribute to Italy's energy demand. This message emerged from a conference on the subject organized by Cisambiente Confindustria at the Ecomondo fair in Rimini, under the title "Energy autonomy: thanks to Css!". Since the regulatory simplification contained in the recent Environment-bis decree (see the October 6, 2022 edition of Sole 24 Ore), this product has become a candidate to increase in consumption and production.

Lucia Leonessi, the dg of Cisambiente Confindustria, stated that the simplification for the use of Css introduced with the decree was a result that decisively belongs to them. For ten years, since the birth of Cisambiente, they have been fighting for the recognition of secondary solid fuel as a strategic resource and therefore a product, to promote its use in a convenient and ecological manner.

Today, this battle has turned into reality and is the fruit of a regulatory process that has successfully recognized our demands. Analyzing the concrete effects that the new rules have on the industry means understanding that Css reduces energy costs in the country, lowers CO2, and valorizes non-recyclable fractions. Roberta Toffanin, a consultant at Mase in the Gse board, highlighted that the use of this fuel has increased, but there is ample room for improvement: according to the Css vigilance and control committee, 120,000 tons were used in 2023, 160,000 in 2024, and 220,000 in 2025.

Toffanin mentioned that there are about 500,000 tons of Css that can be used in Italian cement plants. Margherita Galli, the environment manager of Federbeton, added that to be in line with our decarbonization table, we must move from 26.5% to 47% of calorific substitution. There are also possibilities for electricity generation.

Now, the Environment-bis decree seems to have resolved regulatory issues and pointed the way: the expectations for this product are for growth. Corrado Clini, a former environment minister and author of the decree that fixed the Css production criteria in 2013, estimated a future production in Italy of 6.7 million tons, given by 20% of waste produced plus half of the plastics collected in Italy.

Other estimates talk about 10 million tons of potential. Clini calculated, based on the average production price of Css, a savings on fossil fuel imports of 4.7 billion: "This is no longer just an environmental issue - he said - but also economic. It would be opportune that the government, the conference of regions, and the associations sign a program agreement to valorize this fuel in the national economy."

Today, production, reminded by Ispra's president Alessandra Gallone, stands at 1.730.000 tons, with 500,000 heading to the overseas. To reverse the trend, Ispra proposes to carry out a mapping of the production flows of Css, the energy demand of our industries, and together the environmental quality of the territories.