Federbeton, which represents Italy’s cement and concrete industry, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Assocarta, the association of paper, cardboard, and pulp producers, to develop synergies in circular economy and decarbonization initiatives.

The agreement aims to recover and valorize waste from the paper industry, transforming it into a valuable resource for reducing CO₂ emissions in cement production. Recycled waste and sludge will be used to produce Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) – also known in Italy as CSS (Combustibile Solido Secondario) – one of the strategic levers of Federbeton’s decarbonization roadmap.

The protocol outlines a series of joint actions, including:

• Technical discussions to identify optimal recovery conditions and the most suitable material characteristics;
• Collaboration in securing national and EU funding to support circular economy projects;
• Engagement with public authorities to improve and harmonize the regulatory framework governing waste recovery and alternative fuel use.

“If decarbonization is a systemic challenge, achieving this goal necessarily requires collaboration and shared commitment,” said Stefano Gallini, President of Federbeton. “The agreement with Assocarta stems precisely from this awareness and is a concrete tool to accelerate the path towards carbon neutrality. Replacing fossil fuels with solutions like SRF represents an immediate opportunity for the environment, the community, and the country’s energy independence. It is a lever already widely adopted in Europe, where the average substitution rate is 56%. In Italy, we still stand at 26%, due to inconsistent application of regulations and cultural mistrust.”

“The cooperation between Assocarta and Federbeton represents a tangible step toward implementing the principles of the circular economy in Italy,” added Lorenzo Poli, President of Assocarta. “By promoting the recovery of paper waste — including recycling residues — as alternative fuels for the cement industry, this agreement will help reduce CO₂ emissions, foster technological innovation, and improve waste management. The sharing of technical data will support process optimization, competitiveness, and alignment with the Government’s recently approved Simplification Bill.”

This partnership marks an important milestone in Italy’s journey toward industrial symbiosis, where one sector’s waste becomes another’s resource — a cornerstone of sustainable innovation and the transition to a low-carbon economy.