Waste balance 2021: Austria's garbage mountains are increasing - what is behind it?

Waste balance 2021: Austria's garbage mountains are increasing - what is behind it?

The waste volume in Austria achieved a remarkable amount of around 77.4 million tons in 2021. This number, which is based on the latest reports of the Environmental Office , illustrates the challenges that waste management faces in Austria. The largest proportions of the total volume are eliminated with approximately 46.1 million tons on excavation materials, followed by 12.5 million tons of waste from the construction. Together these two categories make up around three quarters of the entire waste revenue.

There are also settlement waste that made up around 7.5 million tons in 2021. Of these, around 4.7 million tons were recorded in households and similar facilities. On average, each Austrian generated 521 kg of settlement waste, which means an increase of 0.7% compared to the previous year.

recycling and reuse

A positive development is evident in the exploitation of these waste. Around 50% of all waste was used in 2021, and the recycling rate for settlement waste is 62.5%. The number of pretreatment, exploitation and removal systems in Austria amounts to around 3,400, which contributes to the increase in efficiency in waste management.

Another progress is the test and preparation of materials for reuse for the first time. Among other things, 4,312 tons of textiles, 9,200 tons of electrical appliances and about 2,500 tons of furniture and household appliances were prepared in 2021. These measures were carried out by various actors, including charitable organizations, communities and private companies.

interactive data analysis

In order to better understand the situation of waste management in Austria and to be able to develop measures, the interactive dashboard of the Environmental Federal Office . At this location, users can gain detailed insights into the waste statistics using functions such as filters and data export. Discrepancies or display problems can be easily remedied by a side reload.

The data in the dashboard come from various sources, including the electronic data management (EDM) of the BMK, state governments and various representatives of the waste management. This comprehensive database enables precise inventory of Austrian waste management.

The increased attention for the waste revenue and the systems for recycling and waste separation established in recent years are encouraging steps on the way to a more sustainable waste management in Austria. orf Vorarlberg has underlined the importance of these developments and reports that these approaches are essential for climate protection and resource conservation.