Comieco
Comieco is a Milan-based non-profit consortium coordinating Italy's national cellulose-based packaging recovery and recycling system. Serving ~3,400 member companies and 77.4% of Italian municipalities, it manages nearly 4 million tonnes of annual paper/cardboard collection at recycling rates above 90%.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersMilan, Italy
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Comieco does
Comieco (Consorzio Nazionale per il Recupero ed il Riciclo degli Imballaggi a base Cellulosica) is a Milan-based, private non-profit consortium established in 1985 and operating under Italian Legislative Decree 152/2006 (art. 221). It coordinates the national system for the recovery and recycling of cellulose-based packaging (paper and cardboard) in Italy, serving approximately 3,400 member companies—primarily producers and importers of cellulose packaging materials—and working with Italian municipalities (covering 77.4% of communes and 88.9% of inhabitants under Comieco conventions) to operate differentiated collection programs. In 2025 the consortium reported the collection of nearly 4 million tonnes of paper and cardboard (up 60,000+ tonnes versus 2024), a national average of 67.5 kg per inhabitant, and a recycling rate exceeding 90%.
The consortium's operational backbone is the Ba.Da.Com. (Banca Dati Comieco) proprietary annual database, which captures production, sales, and packaging data from every member company and is used for regulatory reporting and consortium management, supplemented by the Sistema Aticelca methodology that scores separability and recyclability of cellulose-based packaging. Beyond this core infrastructure, Comieco operates a portfolio of services including the Osservatorio Prezzi (commodity price monitoring), Convenzioni (municipal collection agreements), and Aste (recovered-material auctions), together with public-facing digital tools such as "Dove lo butto" (disposal guidance) and "Che riciclatore sei" (citizen engagement quiz) and programs including Paper Week, RicicloAperto, Mese del Riciclo, Comieco Factory, Best Pack, Premio Demetra, and Comuni EcoCampioni.
Comieco is funded through the Contributo Ambientale CONAI (CAC), an environmental contribution paid by member companies based on the cellulose packaging they place on the Italian market, with rates differentiated by composition (ranging from 45 €/tonne for standard paper/cardboard post-October 2023 up to 275 €/tonne for polycombined packaging with under 60% paper content), plus market-linked compensation (aggancio al mercato) from paper mills tied to recovered-paper market values. It operates within the broader CONAI system alongside five other material-specific consortia, with governance exercised by members through an Assembly and elected Board. The consortium is currently navigating a leadership transition (Roberto Di Molfetta succeeding Carlo Montalbetti in 2026) and positioning itself around the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR, Regulation EU 2025/40), which from 2035 will require that at least 55% of each packaging material be effectively recycled on an industrial scale.
Comieco firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Comieco
- Legal name
- Comieco Consorzio Nazionale per il Recupero ed il Riciclo degli Imballaggi a base Cellulosica
- Website
- https://comieco.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Comieco is a Milan-based non-profit consortium coordinating Italy's national cellulose-based packaging recovery and recycling system. Serving ~3,400 member companies and 77.4% of Italian municipalities, it manages nearly 4 million tonnes of annual paper/cardboard collection at recycling rates above 90%.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Comieco industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Packaging Recycling Services
- NAICS
- Materials Recovery Facilities (56292), Waste Collection (56211)
- SIC
- Refuse Systems (4953)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Packaging Recovery & Closed-Loop Programs (Take-Back, Deposit-Return, EPR Support) (IMALAMAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Industrial Packaging Waste Services (Pallets, Cardboard, Film, IBCs/Drums—Non-hazardous) (EUAIAGAD), Sustainability Testing, Certification & Compliance (LCA, Recyclability/Compostability Testing, FSC/PEFC) (IMALAMAK)
Keywords
Where Comieco is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Milan
- HQ country
- Italy
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Comieco business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Contributo Ambientale CONAI (CAC): Environmental contribution paid by consortium members (producers and importers of cellulose packaging) to CONAI, which is then distributed to the consortium to fund collection, recycling, and recovery operations. The CAC varies by packaging type and cellulose content, with differentiated rates for polycombined packaging based on paper percentage.
- Market-linked compensation (Aggancio al mercato): Compensation paid by paper mills to the consortium based on market value of recovered paper (macero) used in production. This creates a link between recovered paper market prices and consortium funding.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Fascia A: Paper component ≥90% to <95% |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Fascia B (CPL): Paper component ≥80% to <90% |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Fascia C: Paper component ≥60% to <80% |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Fascia D: Paper component <60% |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Paper and cardboard packaging - standard rate (post-Oct 2023) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
Comieco product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Comieco is Italy's national non-profit consortium for the recovery and recycling of cellulose-based (paper and cardboard) packaging. It coordinates the national collection and recycling system, manages the Contributo Ambientale CONAI (CAC) environmental contribution paid by member companies, operates municipal collection agreements, runs material auctions, and maintains Italy's compliance with EU packaging and recycling targets.
Product overview
Comieco (Consorzio Nazionale per il Recupero ed il Riciclo degli Imballaggi a base Cellulosica) is a non-profit consortium managing Italy's national system for paper and cardboard packaging recovery and recycling. The organization does not offer a unified software product but provides a portfolio of services including Ba.Da.Com. (annual data collection and consortium management system), the Osservatorio Prezzi (price monitoring), municipal Convenzioni (collection agreements), and Aste (material auctions). Supporting services include public awareness initiatives such as Paper Week, RicicloAperto, and the Mese del Riciclo campaign, along with educational programs for schools. The consortium also operates innovation programs including Comieco Factory, the Best Pack award, and Premio Demetra literary award. Digital citizen-facing tools include Dove lo butto (disposal guidance), Che riciclatore sei (recycling quiz), and the Ecoteca information resource. With approximately 3,400 member companies, Comieco coordinates collection, recycling, and recovery operations across Italy's municipalities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- RicicloAperto: An initiative that allows citizens to see what happens after the recycling bin - showing how the recycling cycle works.
- Paper Week
- Ecoteca
- Comuni EcoCampioni
- Premio Demetra
- Best Pack
Products and services
- Ba.Da.Com. (Banca Dati Comieco) Annual data collection and consortium management system that requires member companies (producers and importers of cellulose packaging) to report production and sales data of paper and cardboard packaging materials for regulatory compliance.
- Convenzioni (Municipal Collection Agreements) Formal agreements with Italian municipalities establishing terms, compensation rates, and quality standards for differentiated paper and cardboard collection services.
- Aste (Material Auctions) Auction system for recovered paper and cardboard materials that facilitates market transactions between collection operators and paper mills.
- Osservatorio Prezzi (Price Observatory) Price monitoring service providing market data and analysis on paper and cardboard commodities to consortium members and stakeholders.
- Comieco Factory Innovation program supporting research and development of new applications and technologies for paper and cardboard materials, including sustainability solutions.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 90% recycling rate for paper and cardboard packaging achieved
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Comieco
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Comieco technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Comieco partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- CONAI (Consorzio Nazionale Imballaggi)coreCONAI is the national packaging consortium that coordinates all six material-specific consortia (including Comieco for cellulose). Comieco members must also join CONAI and pay the Contributo Ambientale (CAC). CONAI distributes CAC funds to consortia based on collection and recycling performance.
- ANCI (Associazione Nazionale Comuni Italiani)coreANCI represents Italian municipalities. Comieco participates in the ANCI-Conai framework agreement that establishes terms for municipal collection services, compensation rates, and quality standards for paper and cardboard recovery.
- A2A GroupminorCollaboration on communication campaigns for proper disposal of beverage cartons, such as the Gulf of Tigullio campaign in partnership with A2A subsidiary Aprica.
- Istituto Italiano ImballaggiominorCollaborated on developing guidelines for environmental labeling of packaging, helping companies understand labeling requirements for proper disposal information.
- Cartiere SACI (Veneto)coreSpecialized paper mills that process beverage cartons for recycling in Italy. Part of the recycling infrastructure network that enables end-of-life beverage carton processing.
- Lucart (Tuscany)coreSpecialized paper mills that process beverage cartons for recycling in Italy. One of two Italian facilities capable of separating and recovering all components of beverage cartons (cellulose, plastic, aluminum).
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Comieco competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- RICREA: Italian steel packaging recovery consortium within the CONAI system. Operates an analogous EPR model with the same CAC structure, ANCI-Conai municipal conventions, and member-driven governance as Comieco.
- COREPLA: Italian consortium for the recovery and recycling of plastic packaging, operating under the same CONAI system and ANCI-Conai framework as Comieco. Directly comparable in structure, governance, and EPR mandate, but focused on plastic instead of cellulose.
- CIAL: Consorzio Imballaggi Alluminio is Italy's aluminum packaging recovery consortium under CONAI. Closely comparable PRO operating the same legal and operational framework as Comieco, but specialized in aluminum.
Broad incumbents
- Citeo: France's leading EPR organization for household packaging, covering paper, plastic, metal, and glass. Operates a comparable Producer Responsibility Organization model in another EU market, making it a benchmark for Comieco's PPWR preparedness.
- Fost Plus: Belgium's EPR organization for household packaging. Runs a comparable PRO model with member contributions funding municipal collection and sorting, making it a relevant comparator for Comieco's operational economics.
- CONAI: Consorzio Nazionale Imballaggi coordinates all six material-specific Italian packaging consortia including Comieco. Comparable as the umbrella coordination body but operates as the system coordinator rather than a single-material specialist.
- Der Grüne Punkt (Grüner Punkt Deutschland): Germany's flagship dual-system PRO for sales packaging. Operates a comparable fee-based PRO model across packaging materials and is a direct EU benchmark for Comieco's municipal-convention approach.
Others
- A2A Group: Italian multi-utility that manages waste collection through subsidiaries like Aprica. Listed as a Comieco GTM/marketing partner and an adjacent player in the downstream waste management value chain that Comieco's network depends on.
- PRO Europe: Umbrella association for European Producer Responsibility Organizations across packaging and other streams. Not a direct competitor but the strategic coordination body influencing the regulatory and policy environment in which Comieco operates.
Regional players
- Stichting Papier Recycling Nederland: Dutch paper and cardboard PRO operating the producer responsibility scheme for paper packaging in the Netherlands. Directly comparable in single-material scope (paper) but operates in a different EU market under different national EPR rules.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Comieco social profiles
Digital presenceComieco financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Comieco leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Comieco funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Comieco M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Comieco
What does Comieco do?
Comieco is Italy's national non-profit consortium for the recovery and recycling of cellulose-based (paper and cardboard) packaging. It coordinates the national collection and recycling system, manages the Contributo Ambientale CONAI (CAC) environmental contribution paid by member companies, operates municipal collection agreements, runs material auctions, and maintains Italy's compliance with EU packaging and recycling targets.
Is Comieco a public or private company?
Comieco is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Comieco founded?
Comieco was founded in 1985. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Comieco based?
Comieco is headquartered in Milan, Italy, in the Europe region.
How does Comieco make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Contributo Ambientale CONAI (CAC) is the primary driver. The others are market-linked compensation (Aggancio al mercato).
Who are Comieco's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are RICREA, COREPLA and CIAL. Broad incumbents are Citeo, Fost Plus, CONAI and Der Grüne Punkt (Grüner Punkt Deutschland). Others are A2A Group and PRO Europe. Stichting Papier Recycling Nederland is listed as a regional player.
Does Comieco have an API?
No public API is recorded for Comieco.
What industry is Comieco in?
Comieco's product category is Packaging Recycling Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMALAMAF, Packaging Recovery & Closed-Loop Programs (Take-Back, Deposit-Return, EPR Support), with a secondary code of EUAIAGAD, Industrial Packaging Waste Services (Pallets, Cardboard, Film, IBCs/Drums—Non-hazardous). Its NAICS code is 56292 and its SIC code is 4953.