Managing solid urban waste in Italy. An economic, financial, and environmental performance analysis

This work focuses on municipal solid waste management companies operating in Italy, with the aim of ascertaining whether "best practices" - here expressed in terms of separate collection - are adequately disseminated, to light of the provisions of the EU with reference to the circular economy. This analysis is accompanied by the evaluation of the economic and financial performance of the selected companies, which in carrying out their activities must operate in “lasting economic balance” conditions, to ensure continuity of management and provision of the service to the community. The results concern a group of companies operating in about 900 municipalities located throughout the country and highlight a rather varied situation; nevertheless, the North appears to be the area in which the most efficient companies on average operate, which perform the service with a higher level of separate waste collection despite the lower unitary revenue both per ton collected and per inhabitant served.