General information on waste prevention and sorting
The Austrian Abfallwirtschaftsgesetz (Waste Management Act) sets out the main principles of Austrian waste management, which include sustainability, the protection of human beings and the environment, and the conservation of natural resources.
Waste prevention is the top priority of waste management. Prevention slows down the accumulation of our waste or reduces its harmfulness – this preserves our groundwater, saves energy and raw materials, and makes an active contribution to climate protection.
Waste prevention measures include, for example
- Use of reusable instead of disposable packaging
- Repair
- Renting or borrowing instead of buying
- Passing on items that are no longer used or buying used products
- Sustainable product design (modular design, durability, and reparability)
Unavoidable waste should be sorted and, as far as possible, sent for re-use preparation or recycling.
Most glass, plastics, metals, waste paper and organic waste can largely be recycled, composted, or utilized in a biogas plant.
Under the Deponieverordnung (Landfill Ordinance), residual waste must undergo thermal or mechanical biological treatment to ensure that only waste which is non-hazardous for health and the environment is sent to landfill. This also prevents chemical reactions in landfill sites which could contaminate the air, soil or water.
Every individual should not only help to avoid waste but should also sort household waste when disposing of it.
Tip
Proper waste separation is important for high-quality recycling. Wrongly disposed items in separate collections (paper, organic waste, packaging made of glass, metal, plastic, and composite materials) must be sorted out at great expense. The best way to find out exactly how waste separation is handled in your place of residence (e.g., collection intervals) is to ask the respective municipality or the waste management associations.
Further links
- Austria collects (VKS)German text
- Waste management in Austria (BMLUK)German text
Legal basis
- Abfallwirtschaftsgesetz (AWG)
- Deponieverordnung (DVO)
