In recent years, the Municipality of Villaputzu has built a solid and continuous path in the management of municipal waste, becoming today the most virtuous municipality in Sardinia for separate collection, according to Legambiente data shared at Ecoforum Sardegna 2025.
A result that does not stem from a single intervention, but from a strategy developed over time, as stated by Alessia Follesa, Councillor of the Municipality of Villaputzu:
“Being today among the most virtuous municipalities in Sardinia in separate collection is not a finishing point, but the result of a clear vision and consistent work carried out over the years. This achievement demonstrates that good governance, together with citizens’ collaboration and an efficient service, can generate concrete and lasting results. We will continue to invest and improve, with the goal of consolidating these levels and responsibly addressing future challenges. It is a result that belongs to the entire Villaputzu community, which through daily commitment contributes to making our territory more sustainable and environmentally conscious.”
A journey that becomes a benchmark
The door-to-door collection system, active since 2007, represented the first step in this journey.
Over the years, the separate collection rate has steadily increased: from 54% in 2012 to 83% in 2022, showing a service model that has progressively consolidated and been well adopted by the community.
A key moment came in 2022, with the entry of a new operator and the start of a phase focused on continuous improvement.
The objectives are clear:
• to manage tourist users more effectively
• to consolidate and exceed already achieved separate collection levels
• to prepare the system for future developments, also in view of pay-as-you-throw schemes
To meet these needs, the service was strengthened both operationally and technologically.
Urba and UrbaPLUS containers equipped with UHF TAGs were introduced, together with identifiable bags for the residual fraction.
The onboard automatic reading system, ArcoEVO, makes it possible to transform each emptying into a digital data point, collected in real time.
This allows to:
• accurately monitor waste disposals
• track activities across the territory
• collect detailed data useful for service management
• make operational decisions based on data
Alongside door-to-door collection, two controlled-access eco-islands (ArcoSTATION) were also installed, designed to effectively meet the needs of tourists and temporary users.
The result is a system that is more controllable, more flexible, and better able to adapt to the dynamics of the territory.
The results
Thanks to this journey, Villaputzu has reached an 89% separate collection rate.
According to the latest Ecoforum Sardegna, this figure has been further consolidated, leading the municipality to stand out in 2025 as the top performer in Sardinia within its category.
But the most significant result goes beyond the number.
Today, Villaputzu represents a concrete example of how the integration of service organization, technological tools, and citizen engagement can generate real and lasting improvement.
A path that demonstrates how data, when properly collected and used, can become a true management tool—capable of supporting decisions, optimizing operations, and increasing the overall quality of the service.