Comieco

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.

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

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

• Paper recycling consortium
• Cellulose packaging recovery
• Packaging waste management
• Municipal recycling services
• Circular economy packaging

Headquarters

HQ city

Milan

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core 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

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CONAI (Consorzio Nazionale Imballaggi)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCONAI 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)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerANCI 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 GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration on communication campaigns for proper disposal of beverage cartons, such as the Gulf of Tigullio campaign in partnership with A2A subsidiary Aprica.
• Istituto Italiano ImballaggiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on developing guidelines for environmental labeling of packaging, helping companies understand labeling requirements for proper disposal information.
• Cartiere SACI (Veneto)coreTechnology or IntegrationSpecialized 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)coreTechnology or IntegrationSpecialized 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

Direct 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

• YouTubeyoutube.com/ComiecoConsorzio
• Facebookfacebook.com/consorzio.comieco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/comieco
• Instagraminstagram.com/comieco

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Comieco