Towards the Hera of recycling
By separating our waste together, we have made a difference,
but we can do even more.
At Hera, we have always set ourselves challenging targets in terms of recycling, aiming to be
an excellence on environmental and circular economy issues, but it is mainly thanks to the contribution
of citizens that we can improve.
We have always separated my waste, but for years I did it carelessly,
I hadn't fully understood the importance of paying attention to the proper separation of the waste
and, sometimes out of laziness, and sometimes in absolute good faith I separated some things poorly.
With the media focus on climate change in recent years and after my second child was born I realized that I could and should do much more.
So I did some research and started to pay much more attention to the way I sorted my rubbish [...]. I started using the Wasteologist application and
in particular the Where do I put it section when I had doubts about where to dispose of the trash. I eliminated plastic straws and tried to minimize the mixed waste.
"Now, when I organize my children's birthday parties I buy compostable plates and drinking cups and try to reduce single-use plastic as much as possible"
I realized that in order to fight climate change and leave a cleaner world to my children I needed to change by committing myself and setting a good example. We cannot expect them to work to preserve the planet if we are not the first ones to do so.
Making a difference is really quite simple, all it takes is a little more effort, at the beginning it's hard because you have to make sure you remember some things, but after a short while, good habits become automatic and you can achieve remarkable results effortlessly. My advice when you are feeling lazy is to think about your children and their future. We will leave the planet to them and I am sure that any parent will want to leave it in the best possible conditions.
Transition to a Circular Economy
The current model of linear growth, on which the global economy is based, involves the exploitation and loss of natural and economic resources, generating a positive correlation between economic growth and the amount of waste. The European Union therefore promotes a circular economy model based on the reduction, reuse, recycling and regeneration of resources, through specific directives such as 2008/98/EC and 851/2018.
In 2022, Italy adopted the new National Strategy for the Circular Economy, which envisages a new waste traceability system, a review of the taxation system and the promotion to the right to repair. Correspondingly, a number of measures were introduced at regional level, including tax breaks for companies that are concretely committed to the prevention and recycling of waste throughout the supply chain.
At Hera, we play a primary role in the management of municipal waste, serving 188 municipalities in five regions, comprising a total population of 3.2 million inhabitants.
Last update: 31 October 2023