PET collection project in Italy: Together with COREPLA, the leading national consortium for the collection and recycling of plastic packaging, Interzero has launched an ambitious, nationwide pilot project in Italy in 2022. The collaboration partners’ goal was to ensure comprehensive collection, traceability of PET streams and scalability of the solution. In the first stage, over 100 return machines were placed in the sales points of large retailers. To motivate consumers to return empty PET bottles, Interzero has also developed an application through which users can collect bonus points and exchange them for shopping vouchers.

The project was an immediate success: by the end of 2023 Italy has achieved an impressive collection rate of 78% of PET bottles on the market, which has already exceeded the EU 2025 requirement of 77%. COREPLA received funding from the EU to expand existing capacities; Another 1,000 recyclers are to be installed in retail stores within three years. Interzero Italy also benefits from this: “We have created a win-win partnership that strengthens our strategic position and demonstrates our proven expertise in innovative business solutions,” says Sergio Patacchini, project manager of Interzero Circular Solutions Italy. The experience gained provides a good basis for further successful implementation of the project – and perhaps also to support the implementation of the deposit system at national level.