The Province of Asti has been officially selected as one of the case study territories within the CirBioWaste Project, funded by the Interreg Euro-MED Programme. This ambitious initiative aims to improve the management of biodegradable waste and foster the transition towards a more efficient and circular bioeconomy across the Mediterranean region. Through collaboration, partner organizations will share their expertise to develop practical tools that will support local authorities in making informed decisions about biowaste management.
Located in Piedmont, northern Italy, Asti Province is a territory celebrated for its rolling hills, picturesque vineyards, and charming historic villages. It comprises 117 municipalities and is home to approximately 215.000 inhabitants. The province is internationally recognised for its wine production—grape cultivation alone accounts for 18% of the territory—and for its rich culinary traditions, making it a popular destination for rural tourism.
Waste management in Asti is coordinated by a public consortium established in 2005 and jointly managed by the municipalities. Almost all municipalities in the province have implemented source-separated biowaste collection schemes, while only a small fraction—around 4%—consists of isolated communities that rely on home composting. The average food waste capture rate in the province is approximately 75 kilograms per person per year, which is slightly below the national average of 90 kilograms recorded in Italy in 2023.
Collection systems vary across the territory. About 30% of municipalities use door-to-door collection for food waste, while the majority rely on road containers, sometimes combined with door-to-door services. Once collected, biowaste is processed in a local integrated recycling facility that combines anaerobic digestion with composting, ensuring that organic waste is transformed into valuable compost.
Despite these efforts, challenges remain. The province aims to increase the food waste capture rate and improve the quality of collected material, particularly in municipalities where road container systems lead to higher contamination levels. To address these issues, the CirBioWaste project will implement two key strategies. The first involves launching interactive awareness campaigns targeting micro-communities, with the ability to measure their impact. The second focuses on working closely with local authorities to incorporate specific quality-improvement measures into upcoming tenders for waste collection services, ensuring long-term progress.
