Cars dirty: 8,500 tons of garbage threaten our environment!

Cars dirty: 8,500 tons of garbage threaten our environment!

Österreich - In 2023, ASFINAG introduces an alarming balance: around 8,500 tons of garbage were collected along Austrian highways. This corresponds to the weight of about 1,000 adult elephants and makes it clear that the problem of littering should not be underestimated. The federal states Carinthia, Lower Austria and Upper Austria are particularly affected, where both urban and rural regions fight with this environmental protection problem. The majority of the garbage consists of packaging such as PET bottles, cans and fast food waste . In addition, cigarette stubs and receipts are often found that further deteriorate the overall picture.

A worrying aspect is the amount of organic waste , which also end up on the lanes. Although these are biodegradable, they disguise the landscape and attract animals. Littering has serious consequences for the environment, including the impairment of the water quality due to plastic parts and the endangerment of wild animals that confuse waste with feed. In addition, pollutants get into the ground and affect agricultural areas.

environmental consequences and risks

garbage on the road also represents an increased risk of accident for drivers and passers-by. Asfinag employees often have to act in dangerous situations to dispose of the garbage. In Austria, throwing away from the car window with penalties up to 72 euros is punished, while in Vienna, according to Reinhaltesetz up to , 1,000 euros can be due. In serious cases in which rubbish causes an accident or forest fire, even criminal consequences.

The ARBÖ recommends collecting garbage in the vehicle and correctly disposing of rest areas or disposal stations. However, the situation in Germany with different fines for waste disposal can not go unmentioned. Here the Fine catalog depending on the federal state, with fines for illegal waste organs. For example, the punishments are located in Baden-Württemberg for small waste between 10 and 300 euros , depending on the type of waste.

statistical data

Environmental statistics show that in Germany occasionally 325 to 350 million tons of garbage , with the largest share. In addition, the plastic waste is specifically recorded under "Mixed packaging / recycling materials". Annual waste balance sheets offer numerous insights into the type and amount of garbage that has to be disposed of and underline the urgency of measures to avoid waste and disposal.