Regulations and Guidelines Governing Waste Handling: an Overview of Legislation and Conservation Measures for Loading and Unloading Operations
Italy is set to undergo a significant transformation in its waste management practices, as outlined by DM 59 of April 4, 2023. The focus is on compulsory registration and digital traceability requirements, aiming to promote transparency, digitalisation, and sustainability in the waste management sector.
One of the key changes is the compulsory registration of all relevant entities on the RENTRI portal (National Electronic Waste Traceability Register), which opens on June 15, 2025, with a deadline for registration by August 14, 2025. This registration is mandatory for companies involved in waste management activities.
With this registration, the obligation to digitally manage the loading and unloading registers of waste begins. This digital management can be carried out either through internal management software or by using the free services offered by the RENTRI portal itself.
Another significant change is the requirement for companies registered with the Register of Environmental Managers in Category 5 and those transporting hazardous waste to equip their vehicles with a satellite geolocation system by December 31, 2025. This requirement is designed to enhance the traceability and monitoring of hazardous waste transport.
The integration between the Form for the Identification of Waste (FIR) and the Carriage and Discharge Register is fundamental for ensuring continuous and transparent waste management. Operators must transmit the data contained in the Carriage and Discharge Register to RENTRI on a monthly basis, by the end of the following month after the annotation.
The regulatory framework for RENTRI is primarily based on the decree-law of April 3, 2006, no. 152, known as the "Environmental Code", and the modifications introduced by the decree-law of September 3, 2020, no. 116. The time stamp adds a temporal reference to documents, certifying the exact date and time of their creation or signature, while the qualified electronic seal ensures the integrity and origin of digital documents related to RENTRI.
Some exemptions for certain subjects include small producers of non-hazardous waste with fewer than 10 employees, who can avoid the digital management burden and activities that manage ferrous and non-ferrous scrap through VAT registers. The digitalization will also concern the Waste Identification Form (FIR), which will become mandatory electronic for all operators registered to the RENTRI by February 2026. Virtual stamping for the Carriage and Discharge Register will be introduced for those required to register from January 23, 2025.
The adoption of a qualified electronic signature ensures authenticity, integrity, and non-repudiation of documents related to RENTRI. Documents must be archived in AgID-qualified conservation systems to comply with the Digital Administration Code (CAD).
These measures mark a significant shift towards more transparent, digital, and sustainable waste management practices in Italy, aligning with the goals of DM 59/2023 and reflecting an increasing focus on environmental accountability and operational efficiency in waste traceability. The Chamber of Deputies has approved the conversion into law of the Milleproroghe (D.L. n. 202/2024), postponing the deadline for registration to the National Electronic Register for the traceability of waste to April 14, 2025, for initial producers of special hazardous and non-hazardous waste with more than 50 employees, as well as for all other obliged subjects, including delegates. However, the new deadline will only be effective after publication in the Official Gazette, scheduled for April 12, 2025.
[1] These points are based on the bullet points provided, but the article has been structured and written in a journalistic style for clarity and readability.
The digitalization process is now mandatory for all companies involved in waste management activities, requiring them to register on the RENTRI portal by August 14, 2025, for effective digital management of waste loading and unloading registers. In addition, the integration of the Carriage and Discharge Register with the Form for the Identification of Waste (FIR) will foster continuous and transparent environmental-science practices in waste management. Finance considerations are also involved, as this digitalization will promote operational efficiency and could potentially lead to cost savings in the waste management sector.
