I like Giorgia Meloni. In my view, she is one of the strongest politicians in Europe and, to put it bluntly, one of the few who actually has balls. But there is one issue where she should be extremely careful: her legacy regarding Italian food.
Italian food is sacred. Yet Italy is embracing compostable and soil-biodegradable plastics on a scale that could eventually create a serious microplastic problem in agricultural soils and the food chain.
The political responsibility could become difficult to escape. The Italian state is a major shareholder in Eni. Eni owns Versalis, and Versalis owns Novamont, one of the leading producers of compostable and biodegradable plastics. At the same time, Italy has actively sought to preserve broader exemptions for compostable plastics under the PPWR.
Prime Minister Meloni should therefore ask herself a very simple question: is supporting this industry worth risking the international reputation of Italian agriculture and food?
If I were her, I would protect myself politically now. I would ask Parliament to hold a formal hearing with the CEOs of Eni, Versalis and Novamont and require clear, recorded answers to one question: can the extensive use of compostable and soil-biodegradable plastics create a long-term microplastic risk for Italian agricultural soils and the food chain?
The answers should be placed formally on the public record, with the strongest legal accountability available under Italian parliamentary procedure. If those executives are confident that there is no significant risk, they should be prepared to say so clearly before Parliament.
For Meloni, this is ultimately about legacy. If a major microplastic controversy erupts years from now, nobody will care that these materials were promoted with good intentions. They will ask who allowed them to spread so extensively, who benefited from them and whether the government asked the right questions while there was still time.