Italian waste legislation and convergence in treatment methods

This study investigates whether and to what extent Legislative Decree 152/2006—Italy’s transposition of EU waste policy—acted as a driver of territorial convergence in waste treatment methods between 1995 and 2019. While the decree introduced national targets for separate waste collection, it overlooked deeply rooted regional disparities in infrastructure and socio-economic conditions. Using β-convergence analysis and GMM estimation across Italy’s macro-areas, we investigate growth dynamics in both circular economy methods (e.g. composting, anaerobic digestion) and linear economy methods (e.g. landfilling, incineration). Our findings indicate that convergence is underway, with lagging regions gradually improving their performance. However, convergence is primarily fuelled by regional socio-economic and institutional capacities, rather than by the decree itself. Legislative Decree 152/2006 had a modest and uneven influence—encouraging the adoption of certain circular methods like anaerobic digestion and mechanical biological treatment but falling short in curbing dependence on linear methods or fostering consistent territorial alignment. A key regulatory gap emerges: the absence of infrastructural benchmarks and region-specific targets perpetuates pre-existing territorial inequalities. To support an inclusive transition towards the circular economy, future regulations must integrate quantifiable infrastructure objectives, conditional funding mechanisms, and targeted investments—especially in structurally disadvantaged Southern Italy.