Schillchaos on Austria's streets: Arbö warns of environmental risk!

Schillchaos on Austria's streets: Arbö warns of environmental risk!

Kärnten, Österreich - The improper disposal of waste, also known as littering, is a serious environmental problem that increasingly affects Austria. According to a recent report by OTS , ASFINAG collected about 8,500 tons of garbage along the Austrian motorway in 2023. This amount illustrates the urgency of the situation, especially in the federal states of Carinthia, Lower Austria and Upper Austria, where the amounts

The consequences of this behavior are far -reaching. Not only does the environment suffer from the damage caused by plastic waste that pollutes water resources, but there is also a significant risk to wild animals that could confuse garbage with food. In addition, Littering brings legal consequences, including punishments of up to 72 euros for throwing away garbage from vehicles and in Vienna up to 1,000 euros according to the Reinhaltegesetz.

The causes of literary

The problem of the literary extends over numerous public spaces, streets and traffic handling. Data from an investigation of the Federal Ministry for Infrastructure and Sustainability show that around 4,500 tons of waste are carelessly thrown away. Waste near Take-Away restaurants, petrol stations and shopping centers are particularly common. The social structure and the quality of the infrastructure also influence the littering rates, with socially weaker areas facing larger challenges.

The types of thrown away garbage are diverse, with cigarette buttocks make up the most common waste. About 2.9 billion cigarette stubs end up in the environment annually, which corresponds to a weight of almost 500 tons. According to a sorting analysis, two thirds of the waste from packaging come, with over 23% plastic packaging, especially PET bottles.

environmental and cost effects

Apart from the ecological consequences, such as the impairment of the landscape, the high costs for collecting and disposing of waste also burden the municipalities. The Study of the Federal Environment Agency illustrates that although 10-25% of the litter is recorded in regular street cleaning, most of them are not taken into account and ends up in the environment. Economically speaking, this could have negative effects on tourism and cities that are dependent on a clean environment.

Corresponding strategies to reduce the littering are urgently required. Not only does the information about the importance of correct waste disposal remains important, the introduction of nationwide information platforms and the increase in the reusable rate should also be considered. A new concept for increased cooperation between communities and providers of fast food products could also have a positive impact on waste revenue.

Overall, the company faces the challenge of raising awareness of waste disposal and taking effective measures to reduce littering and protect the environment sustainably.