From 2023, all plastic packaging is to be collected in the yellow garbage can or yellow bag.

From the beginning of next year, the collection of lightweight packaging in Austria is to be standardized: All plastic packaging, such as yogurt pots, plastic bags or tubes, is to be collected nationwide together with plastic bottles and beverage cartons in the yellow garbage can or yellow bag from January 1. From 2025 onwards, the joint collection of plastic and metal packaging is mandatory throughout Austria according to the Packaging Ordinance. The provinces of Carinthia, Lower Austria, Salzburg and Vienna, as well as some districts in Upper Austria, plan to implement this step as early as 2023. The remaining provinces will still collect plastic and metal packaging separately in the next two years in the yellow garbage can or in the yellow bag and blue garbage can. The Vienna-based Austrian collection and recycling system Altstoff Recycling Austria (ARA), which, according to its own information, has been campaigning for the uniform collection of plastic packaging for many years, welcomes the change. The standardization is an important step for climate protection and for achieving the EU recycling targets, is said. ARA board spokesman Harald Hauke explains, "By 2025, we will have to double the recycling of plastic packaging in Austria in order to meet the requirements of the new regulation." Through the standardization, ARA expects an increase of 20 percent in the collection of plastic packaging. ARA is building additional sorting capacities for the increasing collection volumes together with the Austrian waste disposal company Bernegger and Duales System Deutschland (DSD) in Upper Austria. The new sorting facility is to have an annual capacity of up to 100,000 tons.
 

In addition, a deposit on disposable beverage containers is to be introduced in Austria from 2025. A deposit of 25 cents will then be charged on cans and plastic bottles with a volume of 0.1 to 3.0 liters. Bottles containing milk and mixed milk beverages are to remain exempt from the regulation. All those who sell cans or PET bottles will be required to take them back.
 

Sources:

• Euwid Recycling und Entsorgung 44/2022 (Nov. 2, 2022)
• bvse.de (Oct. 27, 2022)
• Photo: Fotolia