After the slowdown recorded in 2025, Italy is once again making progress in waste management. There are 675 “Waste Free” Municipalities awarded by Legambiente in the 2026 edition of Comuni Ricicloni, the competition that every year photographs the most virtuous realities of the country. Twelve more than last year, when there were 663, and a signal that suggests a possible trend reversal.
To be considered “Waste Free”, a Municipality must be able to contain the production of undifferentiated waste under 75 kilograms per inhabitant per year, focusing on quality separate collection, prevention and recycling.
The North continues to concentrate the majority of virtuous experiences, with over 60% of the municipalities awarded. But the most interesting data comes from the South and the Islands, which are recording significant growth and now represent almost a third of the national total.
The most virtuous Regions in waste management
According to Legambiente, the regions with the highest number of waste-free municipalities in 2026 are:
- Veneto – 165 Waste Free Municipalities
- Lombardy – 104 Waste Free Municipalities
- Campania – 73 Waste Free Municipalities
- Emilia-Romagna – numerous excellent performances also in green procurement
- Friuli Venezia Giulia and Trentino-Alto Adige confirm a widespread presence of awarded municipalities and good results in environmental policies
@Legambiente
The capital cities that teach
Among the provincial capitals examined by Legambiente, five manage to achieve the double result: exceeding 65% of separate waste collection and keeping undifferentiated waste below the threshold of 75 kilograms per inhabitant. I am:
A particularly significant result for Nuoro, which confirms the virtuous path recently started this year too.
The awarded municipalities
Among the centers under 5 thousand inhabitants, areas such as Borrello in Abruzzo, Domicella in Campania, Morano Calabro in Calabria, Pieve Ligure in Liguria and Terre d’Adige in Trentino-Alto Adige stand out.
In the range between 5 thousand and 15 thousand inhabitants, among others, Cimitile, Casali del Manco, Pratola Peligna, Loria and Villongo are awarded. Municipalities with over 15 thousand inhabitants include Bacoli, Siderno, Carugate, Monserrato, Ribera and Vedelago.
@Legambiente
Overall winners by region and category
| Region | Municipalities under 5,000 inhabitants. | Municipalities 5,000–15,000 inhabitants. | Municipalities over 15,000 inhabitants. | Capitals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abruzzo | Borrello (CH) | Pratola Peligna (AQ) | — | — |
| Basilicata | Ripacandida (PZ) | — | — | — |
| Calabria | Morano Calabro (CS) | Casali del Manco (CS) | Siderno (RC) | — |
| Campania | Domicella (AV) | Cimitile (NA) | Bacoli (NA) | — |
| Emilia-Romagna | Mordano (BO) | San Prospero (MO) | Nonantola (MO) | — |
| Friuli Venezia Giulia | Valvasone Arzene (PN) | Chions (PN) | Azzano Decimo (PN) | Pordenone |
| Lazio | Rocca Santo Stefano (RM) | Sacrofano (RM) | New Source (RM) | — |
| Liguria | Pieve Ligure (GE) | — | Luni (SP) | — |
| Lombardy | Sparso Forest (BG) | Villongo (BG) | Carugate (MI) | — |
| Marche | Monteleone di Fermo (FM) | — | — | — |
| Molise | Montefalcone nel Sannio (CB) | Venafro (IS) | — | — |
| Piedmont | Barone Canavese (TO) | — | — | — |
| Puglia | — | Sammichele of Bari (BA) | — | — |
| Sardinia | Atzara (NU) | Sennori (SS) | Monserrato (CA) | Nuoro |
| Sicily | Castel di Lucio (ME) | San Giuseppe Jato (PA) | Ribera (AG) | — |
| Tuscany | — | Serravalle Pistoiese (PT) | Monsummano Terme (PT) | — |
| Trentino-Alto Adige | Terre d’Adige (TN) | Vigolana plateau (TN) | Pergine Valsugana (TN) | Trent |
| Umbria | Calvi dell’Umbria (TR) | — | — | — |
| Aosta Valley | Verrayes (AO) | — | — | — |
| Veneto | Sospirolo (BL) | Loria (TV) | Vedelago (TV) | Treviso |
Special awards from the Consortia
| Consortium | Municipality/Body awarded | Brief motivation |
|---|---|---|
| Biorepack | Formello (RM) | Quality of organic/bioplastic collection |
| Biorepack | Borgo Ticino (NO) | Quality of organic/bioplastic collection |
| Biorepack | Sogliano Cavour (LE) | Quality of organic/bioplastic collection |
| Comieco (Southern Area) | Taormina (ME) | Paper/cardboard RD growth |
| Comieco (Central Area) | Livorno (LI) | Continuous collection improvement |
| Comieco (North Area) | Bressanone (BZ) | Reduction of foreign fraction |
| Coreve (South) | Mazara del Vallo (TP) | Increase in glass collection |
| Coreve (North) | Recco – AMIU project Genoa (GE) | Glass collection excellence |
| Coreve (Centre) | Perugia (PG) | Bell design and per capita yield |
| Corepla | Municipality of Fermo (FM) | RecoPet Project |
| Corepla | Municipality of Crotone (KR) | “A lot in common” project |
| Corepla (special prize) | Trento Science Museum – MUSE | Environmental communication and education |
| Cial | Polignano a Mare (BA) | Aluminum yield per capita |
| Cial (mention of facilities) | A2A Environment – Muggiano and Cavaglià | Revamping of selection systems |
| Cial – Corepla – Recreate | Crotone (KR) | Project “A Lot in the Municipality of Calabria” |
| Recreate | Services Lazio Srl | Accredited steel recycling operator |
| Recreate | Crotone (KR) | Winner “Un Sacco in Comune” |
| Cic | Sartori Ambiente Srl | Innovative organic collection solutions |
| Cic | Gardaland Srl | Organic collection in the hospitality sector |
| Cone | Livorno (LI) | Oil collection with GDO network |
| Cone | Rome (RM) | Oil collection with GDO network |
| Erion | Vigolana plateau (TN) | WEEE, batteries, packaging, textiles |
| FBCA (facilities of excellence) | SNUA Srl for GEA (Aviano, PN) | Selection of beverage cartons |
| FBCA – Comieco (mention) | Cosmari Srl (Tolentino, MC) | New selection of beverage cartons |
| Airqino | Treviso | Falling within PM10 limits |
| Airqino | Pordenone | Integrated air quality monitoring |
| Airqino | Monsummano Terme (PT) | Interventions on domestic heating |
| Airqino | Carugate (MI) | Kyoto Asphalt and gentle mobility |
The Labrador looking for plastic in the woods
Among the most original stories awarded this year is that of Bee, a black Labrador Retriever protagonist of the Recycling Dog project.
For three years Bee and his handler have been searching the woods, paths and waterways of the Castelbuono area, in the Madonie Park, in search of plastic dispersed in the environment. In this period they traveled over 800 kilometers and recovered around 200 kilograms of plastic waste.
An experience that demonstrates how innovation, awareness and community involvement can become concrete tools in the fight against pollution.
A special mention also went to the startup Re-Cig, committed to the recovery and recycling of cigarette butts, among the most widespread and undervalued waste in our cities.
Where the greatest delays are still recorded
The report highlights some territorial critical issues:
Italy remains at two speeds
During the national Ecoforum of the circular economy, the new report from the Green Procurement Observatory of Legambiente and Fondazione Ecosistemi was also presented, which analyzes the application of minimum environmental criteria (CAM) in public procurement.
The picture shows some improvements, but confirms profound territorial differences. The national average index reaches 57%, a slight increase compared to the previous year, but the capital municipalities obtain significantly higher results than the smaller centres. The best regional performances come from Emilia-Romagna, Abruzzo, Tuscany, Liguria, Friuli Venezia Giulia and the autonomous province of Bolzano.
In any case, many critical issues remain. In over a third of the tenders in non-capital municipalities, CAMs are not yet applied, despite being mandatory by law. Among the main difficulties emerge the lack of staff training and the complexity in preparing the tenders.
HERE is the complete report.
