The time has come to pay the waste bill and we found ourselves faced with an important innovation: alongside the usual waste tax and at the provincial tax, two new entries appeared: “Quota for the management of waste accidentally caught and waste voluntarily collected at sea (UR1)” And “Quota for waste management in case of exceptional and calamitous events (UR2)“.
These rumours, although modest, have raised many doubts, especially among those who live in landlocked municipalities. Why do they have to pay for waste collected in water? And how is the money used?
What is the UR1 fee and how much does it cost?
The UR1 fee concerns the costs for the management of waste that is accidentally or deliberately caught at searivers and lakes. For 2024, this item has a cost of only 10 cents per year per user, established by the Regulatory Authority for Energy, Networks and the Environment (ARERA). The declared objective is to raise citizens’ awareness of waste management at sea, but there are those who wonder why, despite not having access to bodies of water, they should contribute to this fund.
Even if the figure is modest, it could grow in the coming years based on the quantity of waste “fished” and management costs. Furthermore, it is important to underline that these amounts do not remain with the Municipalities, but are paid into a special non-profit fund.
What is the UR2 fee and how much does it cost?
The UR2 quota, however, is intended to cover the costs of waste management during calamitous events, such as floods. Following the dramatic events of spring 2023, the Government decided to suspend TARI payments for users of the affected municipalities, but dedicated funds have been allocated to guarantee the continuity of collection services.
In 2024, the UR2 share is equal to 1.50 euros for each userbut be careful: this money does not go directly to support citizens affected by disasters, as many might think. In reality, the fund serves to cover the economic losses of waste management companies which, in the event of emergencies, are unable to collect what they owe. Also in this case, the amount could vary in the future depending on the needs related to new disasters.
Is the contribution mandatory?
Yes, as Altroconsumo explains, the only advantage is that the amount is calculated for each domestic user, meaning for example the main residence and its related appurtenances. However, if a person owns more than one property within the same municipality, they will have to pay the equalization contribution for each of the utilities they own.
In short, in addition to covering the actual costs of these water cleaning operations, this duty also has the intent to encourage separate waste collection even more of waste and raise awareness among users not to get rid of this waste by throwing it anywhere without criteria.
