“MATERIA VIVA EXPERIENCE” IT IS AN INTERACTIVE EXHIBITION THAT INVITES THE PUBLIC TO REFLECT ON THE IMPORTANCE OF RECYCLING WEEE (WASTE FROM ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT), RAISING PARTICIPANTS AWARENESS OF THEIR CORRECT MANAGEMENT FOR BOTH ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC REASONS. THE EVENT, WHICH TOOK PLACE AT THE COLONNA COFFEE HOUSE IN ROME FROM 16 TO 20 OCTOBER, IS PART OF A LARGE PROJECT PROMOTED BY ERION WEEE, ONE OF THE MAIN ITALIAN CONSORTIA FOR THE TREATMENT OF ELECTRONIC WASTE
Recycling the future at Materia Viva Experience
The Materia Viva Experience exhibition invited visitors to reflect on the life cycle of electronic devices and the importance of their correct disposal.
Upon entering, visitors found themselves surrounded by an atmosphere that conveyed the idea of an electronic world ready to rise again from its own “ashes”, like the Phoenix. From computers to cell phones, from light bulbs to household appliances, everyday objects were presented as not simple “garbage”but as precious resources, bearers of potential economic and environmental benefits, if managed responsibly.
Giorgio Arienti, general director of Erion WEEEunderlined a disturbing and often ignored reality: in Italy up to 700 thousand tonnes of waste could be collected and recycled WEEE (Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment) every year, while currently only 360 thousand are managed correctly.
This gap leads a large part of electronic waste to be disposed of inadequately, with a devastating impact on the environment and human health, especially in countries where these materials are treated without the necessary precautions, such as in some areas of Africa and India.
Through Materia Viva Experience, Erion WEEE therefore tried to raise public awareness on these issues, inviting participants to reconsider their relationship with technological objects and to see recycling not only as a duty, but also as an opportunity to build a more sustainable future .
Let’s try to understand the issue better.
The circular economy: a missed opportunity?
WEEE represents a real “urban mine” of precious resources: they contain within them a variety of strategic materials, many of which are defined as “critical raw materials” by the European Union. Among these, cobalt, lithium and rare earths are essential components for the production of batteries, technological devices and modern infrastructure.
However, the recovery of these raw materials is often hindered by complex geopolitical dynamics and serious conditions of exploitation in producing countries, where extraction takes place in contexts characterized by poor protection for workers and heavy environmental damage.
As mentioned, Arienti highlights that in Italy the electronic waste management system is not yet optimized to fully recover the intrinsic value of these precious materials.
One of the main obstacles to the full valorisation of WEEE in our country lies in the illegal collection and treatment of large household appliances such as washing machines, refrigerators and other everyday appliances. Often, these devices are not given to authorized consortia, but end up in the hands of unregulated operators who simply dismantle them summarily, and then send the compacted waste to steel mills.
This approach not only prevents the recovery of critical raw materials, but also undermines the traceability and transparency of the disposal flow.
Without an efficient collection network, much electronic waste escapes the official circuit, ending up feeding the black market or being illegally exported to countries where treatment protocols are less rigorous. What can be done?
The role of citizens and institutions
The role of citizens and institutions in the management of WEEE is certainly a starting point for promotingcircular economy effective. However, while it is essential that citizens actively collaborate, there are numerous structural obstacles that complicate the correct disposal of electronic waste.
Arienti underlines how many ecological islands are difficult to access and some retailers do not respect the obligation to collect old electronic devices when purchasing new ones.
This creates a clear contradiction: while the regulations on the management of WEEE are becoming increasingly strict, the controls and infrastructure necessary to facilitate their practical application are lacking. Which makes it difficult for citizens to fully respect them.
The New-Re project
Despite the challenges that still hinder the full development of the WEEE recycling sector, some initiatives open up encouraging prospects for the future of the circular economy in Italy.
A significant example is the New-Re projectwhich is dedicated to experimenting with techniques to extract neodymium (a metal that belongs to the “rare earths”) from the permanent magnets present in electronic devices.
This element, fundamental for the production of numerous technological equipment, is among the most difficult to recover and the project represents a step forward in the sustainable management of electronic waste.
Another important milestone is the inauguration of a pilot plant in Ceccano, Lazio, for the recovery of rare earths. These materials, essential to modern technology, are notoriously complex to process and require advanced separation and purification processes.
Initiatives like this demonstrate that, with adequate support from public policies and targeted investments, the WEEE recycling industry can transform itself into a strategic resource, capable of significantly reducing Italy’s dependence on imports of critical raw materials.
A legislative wound
However, Arienti highlights a significant gap in the current regulatory framework: the State does not yet seem to have fully recognized the strategic potential of WEEE recycling.
The recent Legislative Decree 84/2024while addressing the management of critical raw materials, does not include any specific provisions on the recycling of electronic waste. This omission represents a missed opportunity to boost a WEEE management system in line with the principles of the circular economy, and to consolidate a recycling chain that could strengthen the country’s production autonomy and competitiveness.
Towards a more responsible future
In this context, Materia Viva Experience represents an important step in the path towards greater collective awareness regarding the management of WEEE. Initiatives like this are key to promoting a culture of sustainability that not only reduces the environmental impact of e-waste, but also helps create new economic opportunities.
The challenge is twofold: on the one hand, improving the education of citizens, on the other, pushing institutions to invest in advanced infrastructure and technologies for the recycling of critical materials. Only in this way will it be possible to transform WEEE from a problem into a resource, exploiting the “mines” hidden in our homes and building a more sustainable future for all.
Sources
Cattaneo, M. (2024). Materia Viva Experience: an exhibition to discover the mine contained in our waste