Austrians throw millions in the trash – deposit system under pressure!

Austrians throw millions in the trash – deposit system under pressure!

A new deposit system has been in force in Austria since January 2023, which imposes a deposit of 25 cents on plastic bottles and cans. Consumers have the option of getting their deposit back by taking the empty containers to reverse vending machines. However, around 20 percent of these bottles and cans end up in the trash, which is alarming. In the first two months after the system was introduced, around 100 million deposit bottles and cans were sold, of which only 10 million had been returned by mid-March 2023. According to Monika Fiala, managing director of “Recycling Pfand Austria”, there is still optimism about the future return rate.

The goal of the deposit system is to increase the return rate to 80 percent by 2025 and to 90 percent by 2027. With a 90 percent return rate, around 10 million containers would end up in the trash, which corresponds to a loss of around 2.5 million euros in deposits. The regulation excludes certain products such as beverage cartons, glass bottles and bottles for complementary foods. Manufacturers are still allowed to produce deposit-free bottles and cans until the end of March 2025, but they are expected to disappear from the shelves more quickly.

Support and awareness among the population

According to a survey by “marketagent”, 80 percent of Austrians support the introduction of the deposit system. In addition, 73 percent feel well informed about the details of the system. There is also a high recognition rate for deposit containers: 84 percent of the population are able to identify deposit containers, while 87 percent know that they must be returned uncrushed. Unfortunately, around five million euros in deposits remain unused because many consumers store their bottles and cans in their households instead of returning them.

The new disposable deposit regulation, which comes into force on January 1, 2024, is intended to further strengthen recycling initiatives. Around 2.2 billion bottles and cans are expected to be recycled annually, helping to promote a circular system and reduce littering. From January 2, 2024, new beverage packaging with a deposit logo will be delivered, which will be mandatory from 2025.

Targeted measures against plastic waste

In a broader context, it is important to consider the challenges of plastic waste management in the EU. While recycling is a key method, most plastic collected is exported outside the EU, often due to a lack of capacity or technology to treat waste locally. These circumstances contribute to an increase in the incineration and landfilling of plastic waste, which in turn has a negative impact on the environment.

The EU is committed to developing climate-friendly and circular methods for managing plastic waste. However, the low proportion of plastic recycling suggests significant losses for the economy and the environment. In 2019, approximately 22 million tonnes of plastic entered soils, rivers and oceans, providing an alarming indication of the urgency of effective action.

Overall, the innovations in the Austrian deposit system show that society is gradually moving towards a more sustainable future, while at the same time emphasizing the need to urgently improve the handling of plastic waste across the EU. For further information we refer to the articles from Austria, ÖPB and EU Parliament.