Austria Introduces News Recycling Rules for Plastic and Metal

Austria Introduces News Recycling Rules for Plastic and Metal

APA/EVA MANHART

Starting January 1, 2025, plastic and metal packaging will be uniformly collected across Austria in either the “yellow sack” or “yellow bin.” This new system was unveiled on Thursday in Vienna, alongside a campaign to promote the changes. Additionally, a deposit system will apply to single-use beverage containers from the start of the year. The simplified collection system is summed up by the formula: “Lightweight packaging plus metal packaging minus deposit items,” explained Andreas Pertl, CEO of the Packaging Coordination Office.

The updated system will make recycling easier and clearer for residents, leading to higher collection rates, emphasized Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler at the press conference. Already in 2023, Vienna, Carinthia, Salzburg, and most of Lower Austria adopted joint collection for lightweight and metal packaging. “The result was a 20% increase in collected plastic and metal packaging in the yellow bin, a major success,” Gewessler said, noting that currently, only around half of plastic packaging is separated for recycling—a rate she described as “far too low.”

See also: How  to Sort Garbage in Vienna 

Deposit System Aims to Boost Recycling and Meet EU Targets

In 2025, this recycling model will be expanded nationwide. Combined with the introduction of a deposit system for single-use containers, Gewessler described these measures as essential for a functioning circular economy and for meeting EU recycling targets. By the end of 2030, 55% of all plastic packaging must be recycled, a requirement that doubles Austria’s recycling rate from 2022.

The new system will feature unified labels for yellow bins, Pertl announced, clarifying that the yellow bin and sack are specifically for packaging only. Non-packaging items like toothbrushes and toys should still be disposed of as residual waste or taken to recycling centers. The transition will begin before the end of the year, and as metal packaging bins are removed, residents can start placing metal packaging in the yellow bin or sack.

Pertl celebrated the elimination of separate metal bins across Austria, noting that this change will apply to 3.75 million people in Vorarlberg, Tyrol, parts of Upper Austria, Styria (except Liezen, which already switched), and two districts in Lower Austria.

Gewessler also highlighted the shift to a deposit system for all single-use plastic and metal beverage containers, excluding dairy products. Starting in January, a standard 25-cent deposit will be added per container and refunded upon return. Containers with the Austrian deposit symbol will be included, while remaining stock without the symbol can still be sold and should be recycled in the yellow bin.

Addressing recent criticism from kiosks and shops concerned about limited storage space for returned containers, Gewessler noted that the system is based on successful models abroad. In Germany, even small return points and late-night shops, including kiosks, handle returns “excellently,” she said.

 

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