Insights on the social and economic factors of the circular economy: A study of the Italian industrial and urban waste recycling sector.

In order to achieve the ambitious goals of the European Union (EU) Green Deal, Member States must implement an efficient and modern recycling industry that can combine high environmental standards with high economic performance. According to Eurostat, the amount of waste recovered, both industrial and urban, increased by 33.9% from 2004 to 2020, and the share of recovery in total waste treatment rose, respectively, from 45.