From 2025, PET bottles for drinks and aluminum cans will no longer end up in collection centers in Austria, but will be worth cash with the new deposit system. The ‘Krone’ wanted to know what consequences this will have for the ASZ (waste collection centers) and where consumers will have to throw away plastic waste in the future.
It will take just under 2.5 months before the deposit system on plastic and aluminum drinks bottles comes into effect on January 1. The federal government wants to increase the collection rate from the current 70 percent to at least 90 percent by 2027, because “fines” will be due to the EU for every kilogram of unrecycled plastic waste since 2021.
Deposit on PET bottles and cans
Around New Year’s Eve, PET bottles and aluminum cans for drinks must be returned to collection points if you want the deposit of 0.25 cents per item back. This caused the waste collection centers to ‘tremble’ in the summer – the continued existence of plastic collection in the ASZ seemed to be in jeopardy. But now that seems to be off the table, because the State Waste Association (LAVU) has reached an agreement with the ARA.
The ‘possible’ is no longer in the ASZ
“From 2025, PET bottles will no longer be used. However, large plastic packaging such as buckets, jerry cans or milk cartons can still be disposed of at waste collection centers. Only small plastic packaging (such as for sausages), yoghurt cups or meat cups are no longer accepted,” says Christian Ehrengruber, director of LAVU Upper Austria. In the future they must end up in the yellow bag or the yellow bin.
No closures planned
Nothing will change in the field of metal collection for the time being, only empty containers for which a deposit is required will be eliminated. “We will see how utilization develops. There are currently no plans for closures or reductions in staff hours,” Ehrengruber said. Something similar can be heard from Albert Falch, deputy works council chairman of the approximately 870 employees at the 130 locations.
New life for old mattresses
The aim is to compensate for the fact that less plastic waste will be created in the future, for example by increasing the incentive to throw away larger plastic packaging via the ASZ. In the future, plasterboard will also be collected and recycled separately; A factory is currently being built for this purpose in Stockerau.
People also think about recycling old mattresses; These used to end up with the bulky waste. Greiner is already planning a recycling plant.
Source: Krone
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