Threat of closures

Yellow bag threatens ASZ

Lower waste volumes could lead to ASZ closures

(Bild: Wolfgang Spitzbart)

Simply take yoghurt pots or juice bottles to the waste collection center before they become a space or odor problem at home. For many, this is an everyday activity that could soon become obsolete. Disposal of plastic waste would then only be possible via the yellow bag.

Waste collection centers have existed in Upper Austria for around 30 years, but now their continued existence is under serious threat for the first time. Negotiations are currently underway between the municipal waste management sector and ARA (Altstoff Recycling Austria) for the year 2025, and everything looks set to be scaled back.

Monopoly for the yellow bag
"For consumers, this could mean that they will no longer be able to dispose of plastic waste at the waste collection centers (ASZ) from 2025," says Roland Wohlmuth, Chairman of the Upper Austrian Waste Association. In addition, the collection intervals for the yellow bag could be extended to six weeks".

A third of plastic waste is disposed of in the ASZ, and this option should be continued.

Roland Wohlmuth, Vorsitzender OÖ. Landesabfallverband

Reaching the recycling quota questionable
For those responsible at the OÖ. Landesabfallverband, this is not only a deterioration for consumers, but also counterproductive in terms of achieving the plastic recycling quota set by the EU by 2025. From next year, this is to be 50 percent, whereas currently just under 25 percent is achieved.

Employees fight for jobs
Waste from ASZs, on the other hand, is already achieving an 80 percent recycling rate. This is partly due to the fact that plastic is collected separately by type and partly because employees ensure that it is disposed of correctly. They now fear for their jobs, as lower waste volumes could lead to staff savings.

Lower volumes of waste could mean staff savings, we are fighting for our jobs.

René Laimer, Betriebsrat LAVU OÖ

Penalties for non-recycled plastic
The fact is that Austria has had to pay 80 cents to the EU for every kilo of non-recycled plastic waste since 2021 - previously this amounted to 220 million euros. "We want both collection methods to be maintained in parallel. We see the current approach as an attack on the ASZs in Upper Austria," says Wohlmuth.