There is a thread connecting businesses, institutions, universities and citizens: it is the culture of circular economy. Aisec (Associazione italiana per lo sviluppo dell'economia circolare) was founded to strengthen this bond, promoting across Italy a new way of thinking about production, consumption and resource management.

The association's work is grounded in ethics, innovation and responsibility, as it tackles the challenges of the ecological transition at a time of regulatory uncertainty and a slowdown of the European Green Deal.

From the project for the establishment of the Tecnopolo dello sviluppo sostenibile in Taranto to the creation of networks between universities, research centres and associations, Aisec demonstrates that circularity can become a concrete engine for territorial regeneration. We discussed this with Eleonora Rizzuto, president and founder of Aisec, on the occasion of Ecomondo 2025, the international reference point for the circular economy, scheduled from 4 to 7 November at the Fiera di Rimini.

Circular rhymes with real impact

At a time when the political and industrial debate seems to be slowing down the ecological transition, Aisec chooses to offer an antidote built on action and concreteness. "There is a lot of talk about rolling back European regulations and putting the brakes on the ecological transition," explains Eleonora Rizzuto. "We want to give an operational response to our members and to the public: how to move forward and continue the Green Deal in these times."

For Aisec, circularity is not limited to waste management or material recycling, but becomes a systemic approach that brings together environment, economy and social cohesion. "We promote a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree circularity, which starts from the recovery of secondary raw materials but also extends to territorial regeneration, job creation and solid, transparent governance," Rizzuto continues.

Among the most significant projects is one launched in Taranto, a territory that symbolises the contradictions between industrial development and environmental protection: "For six years we have been working in a network with universities, research centres and other associations to support the establishment of the Tecnopolo dello sviluppo sostenibile, a scientific and research hub that is today finally a reality."

Aisec is among the organisations hosted in the Ecomondo Vip lounge, an exclusive space for meeting and exchanging opinions and ideas, dedicated to companies that make sustainability and circularity their primary objective.