Constructing requires vision, determination and collaboration. It involves looking to the future, combining skills and ideas, and sharing responsibilities. In 2024, Erion aimed to develop projects, achieve results and construct solid relationships, shared objectives and lasting value. These goals were achieved thanks to the strength of its leadership and the passion of a young team driven by a particular enthusiasm: the desire to contribute to the growth and development of a better, more progressive country. This explains the decision to illustrate this report with images of iconic, timeless toys such as GeoMag, Meccano and Lego, consisting of various pieces that can be combined to create endless possibilities. These toys are much more than mere playthings; they are tools that demonstrate to those who have spent time with them the importance of each component in achieving overall excellence. As you will see from the following pages, the bricks, toothed wheels, perforated metal strips, ball bearings and magnetic rods are synonymous with Erion’s work. Together, they symbolize the new projects, partners, networks and events organized, processes developed and awards won during our fourth year of operation.
The plus sign accompanying our collection volumes makes it clear that 2024 was a positive year. A total of 268,350 tonnes of waste was collected, which is a 6% increase on the previous year. In particular, our Collective Schemes managed over 237,000 tonnes of Household WEEE, over 4,000 tonnes of Professional WEEE, 5,700 tonnes of Waste Batteries, and over 20,500 tonnes of Packaging Waste. Recycling Household WEEE, WB and Packaging Waste meant that 88% of the collected materials could be returned to the production cycle. This equates to the weight of 513 high-speed trains. Then there is the environmental data, which illustrates the value of our annual contribution to protecting the planet – a cause to which we are particularly committed. In 2024 alone, we prevented 795,000 tonnes of CO2eq from being emitted into the atmosphere, which is equivalent to the emissions produced by a car travelling 110,000 laps around the equator. We saved 332 million kWh of electricity, which is equivalent to the annual consumption of around 123,000 Italian households. We also conserved 1.4 million cubic metres of water, equivalent to the average annual water usage of around 9,000 Italian households.
We are proud of these results, which were achieved during a year of significant changes in the area of Extended Producer Responsibility. These changes ranged from the introduction of the new EU Regulation on Batteries and Waste Batteries to the new Regulation on Packaging and Packaging Waste. These two key Regulations are set to transform the production and waste management of these two products in the years to come, playing a significant role in Europe’s transition to a green economy. Another regulatory development is the Italian law introduced in November last year through the enactment of Decree-Law No. 131 of 16 September 2024, also known as the “Salva Infrazioni” (Infringement Prevention Decree). This legislation requires collective systems to plan, implement and finance communication, information and awareness programmes for citizens, using at least 3% of the previous year’s total revenues. The programmes aim to raise awareness of the importance of separate WEEE collection and the environmental and economic benefits of its recycling. Furthermore, the new law introduces measures to simplify the collection of WEEE and the environmental contribution declarations by marketplace sellers. Erion WEEE and Erion Energy have been directly and consistently involved in these two measures at an institutional level.
Constructing, brick by brick, project by project and campaign by campaign, involving all our stakeholders – starting with citizens, a shared culture of ethical behaviour and virtuous actions that aim to protect the environment, promote sustainability, and encourage the adoption of a circular economy. This is the main area in which Erion Compliance Organization and its six Collective Schemes have developed their operational plan also in 2024.
Erion WEEE has successfully campaigned for more streamlined and efficient processes for collecting WEEE from businesses and consumers, which are now enshrined in law. The Collective Scheme, which recorded a 2% increase in collections in 2024 compared to the previous year, continued to develop its ‘DireFareRAEE‘ mega-communication programme. This involved relaunching successful projects, such as the second national tour of the ‘Materia Viva’ docufilm, as well as implementing a new investment plan to facilitate the development and launch of significant initiatives. This included broadcasting Materia Viva on the Mediaset Infinity, Sky Documentaries, Now and MyMovies streaming platforms; the organization of educational campaigns such as ‘Materia Viva – A scuola di RAEE’ and ‘Schermi in classe per Materia Viva’; the setting up of the interactive e-waste exhibition ‘Materia Viva Experience’; the development of the out-of-home campaign ‘Se te ne fotti, sei fottuto’; the promotion of the social campaigns ‘RAEEGen’ and ‘RAEEGen – Opinion Leader’, bringing together influencers popular with young people, as well as personalities from the worlds of science, music, journalism, sport, cinema and television, to raise awareness of the importance of properly disposing of WEEE.
Erion Professional, thanks to the consolidation of the three Exceed programmes, Erion Professional increased its B2B WEEE collection by 50% compared to the previous year. This clearly demonstrates the environmental commitment of the Collective Scheme’s producers, who have proven the effectiveness of their direct involvement with dealer and installer networks in voluntary collection and recycling systems for Professional WEEE.
Erion Energy has addressed the first major innovations introduced by the new European Regulation, participating in technical tables and sector events, while always focusing on the importance of collection, beginning with portable batteries. Bearing this in mind, the third edition of ‘Energia al Cubo’ was launched. Over 5,000 kilograms of spent batteries were collected by 9,000 students from 72 schools in Foggia, Pozzuoli (Naples), Quartu Sant’Elena (Cagliari), Rome and Verona, who also learnt about the circular economy.
Erion Packaging was the collective scheme with the highest growth margin: +79% Packaging collection in 2024 compared to the previous year. This was achieved by signing 25 agreements, resulting in the collection network expanding to encompass 160 plants and 386 affiliated collecting points.
Erion Care has done a great deal of awareness-raising work in Italy, participating in two collection days: Keep Clean and Run in April, and the Florence leg of the 2024 National Plogging Championship in June. The Collective Scheme has also relaunched the ‘Senza Filtri’ advertising campaign in major Italian magazines, with the aim of educating citizens on how to combat cigarette butt littering.
Finally, we must mention the significant growth of Erion Textiles, the Collective Scheme for the Textile industry, which continues to play an active role in national and international forums, contributing to the development of an Extended Producer Responsibility system in the Textile sector.
By participating in sector events and organizing webinars with representatives from institutions, companies and non-profit organisations, Erion Textiles has stimulated debate on the future of Textile EPR. At a pivotal moment in defining a postconsumer textile chain, it has also proven to be a valuable aggregator of proposals and ideas for legislators. As we do every year, we would like to conclude this letter by talking about our 66 employees, 43 of whom are women. A total of 1,840 hours of free training has been made available to them, with the aim of further enhancing the professionalism of our eight teams and strengthening their role in driving Erion’s growth. We reiterate that it is the spirit of constructing that has always inspired us to take on one of the greatest challenges of our time with enthusiasm: the sustainable development of our society. This goal necessarily involves decoupling the production of goods from the exploitation of natural resources. It is a vision that recognizes waste as a resource, treats recycling as a strategy, and considers sustainability a shared, intergenerational objective.
This is the vision we believe in. It is the driving force behind our System, the core of our commitment to our producers, and the motivation that pushes us to contribute to the betterment of the country every day. It inspires us to imagine and construct, piece by piece.
