During the round table, Mr Bianchi stressed the importance of establishing a Paper District within Ecomondo, Italy’s largest exhibition dedicated on recycling and the circular economy.
‘Paper stands out as the most symbolic element of recycling, and it is essential to highlight its central role in the development of a sustainable economy, with the actual presence of the companies that are involved in processing this material on a daily basis. Today, more than ever, paper plays a leading role in driving change, as proven by the PPWR, a European Union regulation that aims to reduce the environmental impact of packaging and foster circular economy.’
Indeed, paper is an outstanding example of circular economy, as it has been able to successfully blend sustainability in the use of renewable raw materials with the recycling of end-of-life products. On the one hand, paper is renewable, recyclable, compostable and biodegradable. On the other hand, the Italian paper industry has been reusing used paper and cardboard in its manufacturing processes, thus developing a circular economy concept.