The Austrian System for Recycling of Packaging Materials

The Austrian System for Recycling of Packaging Materials Altstoff Recycling Austria - ARA

Facts & Figures Israel Size in km 2 Austria 22. 000 83. 000 7, 2 8, 3 2, 88 1, 41 GDP in Bill. USD 156 295 GDP/Capita USD 23. 844 35. 694 4, 48 2, 45 594 560 Population in mio. Fertility Rate R & D Exp. (% of GDP) Municipal Waste (kg/Capita) Source: OECD

The ARA System • ARA System is a non-profit organization • Founded in 1993 in response to the Austrian Packaging Ordinance • ARA System consists of an umbrella organisation, ARA AG, and eight affiliated recycling organisations that focus on specific waste materials

The Austrian Packaging Ordinance (Verpack. VO, Federal Law Gazette No. 645/1992) was put in effect on the basis of the Austrian Waste Management Act. It has been in force since October 1, 1993, and requires producers, distributors, and importers that put packaging or packed goods on the Austrian market to take back their packaging free of charge and recycle it. In 1996, the ordinance was revised for the second time (Federal Law Gazette No. 648/1996). The new Packaging Ordinance has been effective since December 1, 1996.

Companies affected by the Packaging Ordinance • Manufacturers: companies that produce packaging or packaging aids, especially service packaging • Importers and dealers: companies that import or deal in packaging, packaging aids, or packed commodities. • Fillers and packers: companies that – fill and pack goods or – commodities in packaging or wrap them with packaging for the purpose of storage and dispatch. • Companies that have their place of business outside the country, yet within the EU, and deliver packed commodities or packaging to Austria also may become license partners of ARA.

Number of license partners

Revenues from license fees

Average cost for licensee

Cost/kg

Company Structure ARA - Altstoff Recycling Austria AG • • Marketing, Customer Care License Agreements Revenue Management Commissioning of Tasks to Recycling Organisations

and through subdivisions and subsidiaries • System Operator for the collection of packaging waste of – – – – paper plastics metals wood textile fibres ceramics composite materials biodegredables

Collection System • Containers (total 1. 262. 263 in Austria): small… Photos courtesy of ARA

Collection System …and big Photos courtesy of ARA

Collection System Yellow Bag System Kerbside collection for light-weight packaging (serving 1, 37 mio households) Photos courtesy of ARA

Collection System • Commercial & industrial waste service – Bring in service (140 recycling centers) – pick-up for small businesses together with household collection – pick-up for large waste volumes – special event service

Collected Volume

Volumes collected from households

Recovery performance

Recovery sites

Cycle • Paper –> Paper • Glass –> Glass • Plastics – – – LDPE-Foils -> bags, pipes, building components HDPE Containers –> full recycling LDPE/HDPE mix -> profiles, pipes etc. PET bottles -> plastic packaging & full recycling mixed plastics -> thermal recovery

Cycle • Composite materials -> – (blister packaging, beverage containers etc. ) -> thermal utilisation • Ferrous metals -> full recycling • Aluminium -> full ecycling • Wood -> – chipboard, thermal utilisation, biowaste composting

Consumer Acceptance

Household collection in kg/capita

Collection quota

How to be successful? • • • Legal Framework Organizational Structure Collection System Recycling Facilities Public Awareness – Public Acceptance

Thank you! Further Information: www. ara. at Christian Lassnig telaviv@austriantrade. org