Rapid Progress as Sustainability Project Officially Launched : Italy’s UK Embassy in London Goes For Zero Waste with Novamont’s Help
At an Italy4Innovation event held at its diplomatic premises in Grovsner Square, London, the Italian Embassy highlighted its progress towards zero waste operations, among other circular economy initiatives from both the public and private sectors.
Against a backdrop of growing global awareness of the importance of environmental protection, the Embassy of Italy in London, in partnership with Italian biotech firm Novamont, publically launched its “Zero-Waste Embassy” initiative.
Attending the launch, WMW heard that the programme is the first of its kind among UK diplomatic missions aiming to reduce significantly the impact of waste management and energy supply, with all litter returning to the productive system in a closed loop.
Thanks to the collaboration with Novamont, the embassy staff, who are active participants in the project, have radically reduced their use of single-use plastic products at work, replacing them with products made from recyclable bioplastic.
Six months into the project, the Italian Embassy has already achieved a reduction of approximately 20% in the quantity of waste produced. Unsorted litter now accounts for only 20% of the total, while 50% of it is recyclable and 30% compostable..
Catia Bastioli, the CEO of Novamont, commented:
“The current environmental and social challenges can no longer be ignored, and we need a long-term strategy, while also achieving as much as we can in the short and medium term.
“The embassy’s laudable decision to minimise the use of disposable products, to use compostable products where necessary, and to ensure that organic waste is collected and transformed into high-quality compost, is a concrete step towards more careful approach to resources.
“If this approach is scaled up, it has the potential to prompt exponential growth of aspirations and opportunities. We are grateful to Ambassador Raffaele Trombetta for demonstrating such awareness and for acting on this urgent issue.”
In addition, the embassy has switched its energy supplier to Green Network, which supplies gas and electricity exclusively from renewable sources. This is used to top up the energy provided by the photovoltaic panels recently installed on the roof of the embassy building.
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