The Province of Cuneo won the "Premio Sfide 2009" (Challenge Award 2009), a contest reserved for public bodies, by collaborating synergistically with the Robilante cement plant to manage its waste.
Attended by the Minister of the Environment Stefania Prestigiacomo, the awards ceremony was held in Rome on 11 May during the FORUM PA, an exhibition and convention showcasing innovation in the public sector. The contest is an initiative sponsored by the Department for the Regional Economies Developmet of the Ministers Council Presidency to identify exceptionally innovative projects undertaken by public authorities (PA). The purpose is to create a public authority that can achieve effective, efficient and measurable results in which everyone participates.
There were 91 participants with 16 winners, among which was the Province of Cuneo with its project “Managing and turning waste into energy at the cement plant”. Not being able to afford its own waste-to-energy plant, the Province of Cuneo used the kilns at the Robilante cement plant to burn 42,000 tons of waste-derived fuel instead of coal, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by over 80,000 tons during 2007-2008.