The Waste Observatory of the Metropolitan City of Turin has been managing, since 1996, a large database on urban waste, which represents a fundamental tool for monitoring and supporting the implementation of territorial planning on waste matters. The work of the Observatory is condensed into what, since 2001, has been an annual event of great importance for those, insiders and "ordinary" citizens, who are interested in having a detailed picture of what is happening on our territory in the urban waste management.

The Swiss canton of Ticino recently published an analysis on the environmental impacts of tableware used during events such as fairs or festivals, comparing the main options available, such as disposable plastic and bioplastic tableware, reusable plastic (polypropylene and melamine) and other materials (ceramic, glass and metal).

The EWWW (European Week for Waste Reduction) 2020 edition, which has just ended, this year focused on a particularly complex but very interesting topic: "invisible" waste. In other words, these are waste which, although not actually tangible to consumers, weighs heavily on our shopping and our daily actions. For example, to produce a pair of jeans worth a few euros, over 23 kg of waste are produced (not counting the impact on air quality and water consumption, which is very significant).

The fifth edition of the "Cresco Award Città Sostenibili", promoted by Fondazione Sodalitas in collaboration with Anci (National Association of Italian Municipalities) and under the patronage of the European Commission and the Ministry of the Environment, which aims to reward and highlight the commitment of Italian local authorities for the sustainable developm

Everything started in March 2020, with the worsening of the health situation linked to the Covid-19 pandemic: at that time, in fact, especially in the population centers of large cities like Turin, the food emergency exploded, involving not only the homeless but also many other people, suddenly without work and therefore without income.

Food spending, as we all know, is one of the critical moments in the production of household waste, especially plastic packaging. Bottles, trays, disposable bags and so on, which clog our homes. Who knows if, thanks to the start of the new project "Spesa Sballata", we will not succeed in Italy, too, in spreading widespread shopping experiences without packaging, thanks to the use of reusable containers.

The Piedmont Region has transmitted an official note that provides some indications on the management of municipal and consortium collection centers, intended for the collection of urban waste delivered directly from domestic and/or non-domestic users.

The new edition of the EWWR, the largest European campaign on waste prevention, will be held this year from 21 to 29 November; the theme chosen is "Invisible waste. What is your real weight?", dedicated to waste that we do not realize but which enormously "burdens" our daily life. The EWWR therefore challenges us to inform ourselves about the extra pounds that we all carry on our shoulders due to unsustainable production and consumption patterns.

It seems like yesterday, but instead almost three years have passed since the introduction in supermarkets of the notorious bioplastic bags for fruit and vegetables, which sparked heated public controversy. Now the French chain Carrefour has decided to abandon them and replace them with recyclable and/or reusable alternatives, such as paper and cotton bags, joining the list of those chains (few in fact) that already do. The reason for this drastic decision?

Among the many records that Italy holds is also that, not very honorable, of being the world's leading consumer of bottled mineral water: as many as 220 liters a year each, followed by Mexico. In Europe after us we find Germany with 195 liters, France and Spain with 140, while the British reach about 50 liters. This exaggerated consumption in general is not justified in a country where tap water in many cases is of excellent quality.