Spresiano (TV), July 21, 2025 – Today, at the i-Foria Engineering Center in Spresiano (TV), and in the presence of institutions, partners and stakeholders, the world’s most advanced demonstration plant for absorbent hygiene products (AHP) recycling – such as baby diapers and incontinence devices – was officially inaugurated.
Ms. A.Corrado, Member of the European Parliament, and Mr. Coin, Member of the Camera dei Deputati of the Italian Parliament, were present.
The Vice Minister of MASE, Vannia Gava, MP, and Mr. Antonio Decaro, MP, Chair of the ENVI Committee at the European Parliament, delivered video messages in which they reaffirmed strong institutional support for the AHP line of the EU Resource and Recovery Facility (PNRR), recognizing its strategic importance for Italy and for the ecological transition.

i-Foria Italy is an innovative scale-up that has developed and patented a revolutionary technology capable of recycling up to 100% of waste from AHPs. Such waste is transformed into secondary raw materials (absorbent material and plastic) that can be reintegrated into new industrial cycles, contributing significantly to creating a true circular economy. Not only does the process meet the strictest safety standards but it also provides a concrete solution to reduce the enormous amount of AHP waste currently sent to landfills or incinerators, posing a serious environmental issue around the globe.

Thanks to an initial seed funding round of €1.7 million completed in October 2024 – with the support of Tech4Planet (the National Technology Transfer Hub for Environmental Sustainability promoted by CDP Venture Capital) and MITO Tech Ventures (an Article 9 SFDR venture capital fund launched by MITO Technology) – and through strategic partnerships, i-Foria is now targeting the commercial expansion of its technology at an industrial scale. This will begin with the first PNRR-funded plant already awarded in Capannori (LU), alongside other ongoing tenders.

At the same time, discussions are underway with leading international companies in waste management, consumer goods, and hygiene product industries to begin the first phase of internationalization of i-Foria’s technology. The global interest raised so far confirms the broad potential for adoption both within and outside of Europe.

At a time when the end-of-life of consumer goods is increasingly central to the sustainability debate, the plant inaugurated today by i-Foria serves as tangible proof that sustainable, scalable industrial solutions are not only possible but already operational in Italy.

This initiative is part of the PNRR (Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan), which, through measure M2C1.1.I1.1 – LINE C, has allocated significant funding for 15 AHP recycling plants. A strategic infrastructure is now taking shape, positioning Italy as the first country in the world to launch a certified industrial supply chain for recycling this waste stream.

This strengthens Italy’s leadership in the circular economy, built on a unique End-of-Waste framework and an “Made in Italy” technology that combines innovation, sustainability, and high-value supply chains.

Every year, 30 million tons of AHP waste are generated globally – the equivalent of a continuous line of trucks stretching from Lisbon to Tokyo. In Europe, the total amounts to 8.5 million tons, and in Italy alone, 900,000 tons – enough to fill three landfills every single year.

Currently, over 18 million citizens in Italy are already served by source-segregated AHP waste collection. There is growing interest in a national network of plants capable of truly closing the loop for this currently underutilized waste stream.

Italian Deputy Minister for the Environment, Vannia Gava, sent a video message reaffirming the government’s strong institutional support for the AHP recycling line within the PNRR, recognizing its strategic value for Italy and the ecological transition. “This plant is proof that our country is capable of transforming and innovating through sustainable industrial solutions that generate environmental, economic, and social value. The Ministry strongly supported this approach by funding 15 plants through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). In the coming months, it will be crucial to complete the authorization procedures and ensure that the plants become operational. Italy holds a regulatory leadership in the AHP value chain, having issued the first end-of-waste decree. This leadership brings responsibility and encourages us to move forward with pragmatism and ambition toward a true model of circular economy development.”

Antonio Decaro, Chair of the ENVI Committee at the European Parliament, also participated via video message, highlighting the importance of the AHP recycling initiative for regional development and for strengthening EU circular economy. “Today we celebrate an important milestone for Italy and the European Union: the world’s first demonstration plant for the recycling of absorbent hygiene products — an Italian and European first, based on patented technology developed through years of research and a vision rooted in sustainability and innovation. This innovation represents a strategic achievement in three key areas: environmental, industrial — with the creation of a new supply chain that can be replicated across Europe and globally — and institutional, as it anticipates the goals of the Green Deal”.

Marcello Somma, CEO of i-Foria Italy, commented: “This is a special moment that marks a significant milestone for i-Foria and for Italy – the first country in the world to launch a certified industrial supply chain for AHP recycling, thanks to a patented technology and a unique End-of-Waste framework. We thank Vice Minister Vannia Gava as well as President Decaro for their institutional support to the PNRR AHP line, and all the guests – including companies, institutions, researchers, and stakeholders – who, like us, believe in a tangible, scalable, and deep-tech circular economy.”

 

 

The i-Foria Technology:

• Proprietary technology, unique worldwide, capable of recycling waste from absorbent hygiene products — currently sent to landfills or incinerators — into high-value secondary raw materials. The process fully complies with the strict biological, chemical, and environmental standards set by the End of Waste regulations in both Italy and the Netherlands
• Certified steam sterilization process, complying with medical device standards
• Negligible odor and noise impact
• Secondary raw materials meet drinkable water standards and in some applications outperform virgin materials

 

Results and Outlook:

• Technology validated on i-Foria demonstration plant
• 1 granted patent and 3 other applications filed
• €1.7 million seed fundraising round completed in October 2024, led by Tech4Planet (CDP Venture Capital) and MITO Tech Ventures
• March 2025: Capannori (LU) plant contract awarded for a PNRR-funded AHP recycling plant; i-Foria Italy will provide the technology
• Participation in two additional ongoing PNRR tenders
• Selected by Invitalia for the Brevetti+ program to support intellectual property valorization and industrial development
• Selected under the Horizon EU program for the construction of the demonstration plant and the validation of the process on additional waste fractions.