diffusion of key concepts: austria case study hubert ... · preparatory study for the review of the...

PREPARATORY STUDY FOR THE REVIEW OF THE THEMATIC STRATEGY ON THE PREVENTION AND RECYCLING OF WASTE

IEEP, BIO, ECOLOGIC, UMWELTBUNDESAMT, ARCADIS, VITO

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DIFFUSION OF KEY CONCEPTS: AUSTRIA CASE STUDY

Hubert Reisinger, Umweltbundesamt, Austria

13.04.2010, draft

General instructions:

The key questions that should be addressed within each MS case study are:

• Have the 8 key concepts set out in the Waste TS (waste hierarchy; life cycle thinking;

waste prevention; producer responsibility; proximity principle; recycling society; using

waste as a resource; and reducing negative environmental impacts by better waste

management) diffused across relevant MS national/federal and regional policies?

• Are there specific gaps where such terms should be considered but are currently absent?

The case studies should attempt to distinguish between terms from legal texts (which are

more likely to be directly transposed into MS documents) and the broader concepts in the

Waste TS which may be interpreted more loosely.

The case studies when reviewed as a whole should answer the question:

• Are the terms conceived and used consistently across the MS i.e. in terms of definition

and interpretation?

The key concepts are to be interpreted as outlined below:

1. Waste hierarchy – The waste hierarchy from the old Waste Framework Directive will be

taken as the basis for research (as the new WFD has not yet had time to be fully

implemented). The project team will however assess and indicate, where possible, where

the hierarchy in the new WFD has already been assimilated.

2. Life cycle thinking – This will be interpreted in a broad sense i.e. the consideration of

impacts throughout a product’s or material’s life cycle. Information on any detailed

approaches adopted will be provided during the analysis, along with a comparison of

their interpretation.

3. Waste prevention – The prevention of waste is defined within the Directive on waste

(2008/98/EC) as “measures taken before a substance, material or product has become

waste, that reduce:

(a) the quantity of waste, including through the re-use of products or the extension of the life

span of products;

(b) the adverse impacts of the generated waste on the environment and human health; or

(c) the content of harmful substances in materials and products.

Therefore within this assessment both the use of the term ‘waste prevention’ and also

requirements to reduce the quantity or harmfulness of waste will be considered. It should,

however, be noted that MS will not yet have transposed directly this definition into law,

therefore instances deemed compatible with this approach will be identified within the



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existing legislation.

4. Producer responsibility – This will be considered both in terms of references to the

concept and also referencing to put into action this ideal i.e. placing of requirements

upon producers to take responsibility for their actions.

5. Proximity principle – As for the producer responsibility principle, the project team will

look for direct references to this principle but also incidences where this has been put

into action within legislation.

6. Recycling society – The basis for research will be the definition provided in the TS. It is

however unlikely to appear in this form within legislation (unless in preambles etc). The

project team will therefore aim to look in detail at the context within which recycling

requirements are specified and their nature. As DG ENV recognised at the kick-off

meeting that the concept is ill-defined in the Waste TS, the project team may offer a

critical assessment of the concept’s definition.

7. Using waste as a resource – This will be conceived in its widest sense, considering

measures that see waste as a source of materials and for other needs such as energy

generation. Importantly, the compatibility of these different resource needs will be

considered.

8. Reducing negative environmental impacts by better waste management – This will be

considered in broad terms as any form of impact upon the environment. The different

environmental impacts considered within different measures will be specified.



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CO U N T R Y F A C T S H E E T O N T H E D I F F U S I O N O F 8 K E Y

W A S T E M A N AG E M E N T C O N C E P T S

1. Member State context

This section should include contextual information about the MS: is it centralised or federal; geographical size; population; latest

available data on waste generation, treatment and disposal. It is intended to provide background information and a context for

the case study assessment. (NB Wherever possible statistical information should be obtained from Eurostat to ensure maximum

comparability between the MS case studies.)

Austria is a federal republic with shared responsibilities on waste policy and waste

management planning between the national and the regional levels.

The national level is responsible for

• the policy framework and the specification of waste management principles

• hazardous waste

• transboundary movements of waste

• some non-hazardous waste

The regional level is responsible for

• rest of non-hazardous waste.

On both levels national and regional waste management plans are issued.

Population (projected inhabitants for 2009)1 8,356,000

Surface area (km2)2 83,871

GDP per capita in Purchasing Power Standards

(PPS) (EU27=100 (2008)1)

125.0

Share of urban population (%)3 66.1

Main economic sectors and their share in total

GDP4

agriculture 1.6%

industry 30.4%

services 67.3%

EU accession date5 1.1.1995

Total waste generation 2008 in Million Tonnes6 56.3

1 Eurostat 2008

2 Demographic Yearbook, UN Statistics Division 2006

3 World Bank 2006, www.worldbank.org/prospects/migrationandremittances visited December 15, 2008

4 CIA World Factbook (2007 est)

5 European Commission 2008, http://europa.eu/abc/12lessons/key_dates/index_en.htm visited December 15, 2008

6 BMLFUW (2010): Federal Waste Management Plan 2006 – Waste data 2009 - chapter 1-3



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Total waste generation 2008 in kg/capita 6,740

Household waste generation 2008 in Million

Tonnes

3.78

Household waste generation 2008 in kg/capita 452

Latest available data on waste generation,

treatment and disposal

2008

More data on the Austrian material flows and the waste management system can be found in Annex 1

http://www.bundesabfallwirtschaftsplan.at/article/articleview/52746/1/13192/



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2. Key policy documents (national/federal and regional)

This section should include a list (with hyperlinks where available) of key national/federal and regional policy documents related to waste and resource management. For MS where regional waste law is of high

importance, a maximum of three regions should be covered. Legislative texts related to waste and non-legislative waste plans/programmes/guidance should be included. In addition any related dossiers that may

directly impact on waste production i.e. efforts in relation to natural resource consumption, sustainable consumption and production initiatives etc should also be considered.

Please complete the table below with details of the relevant policies.

In order to avoid an overburdening of this fact sheet, from the 9 regional waste management plans only one (that of Styria) was selected.

Formal title of the policy or law (including

any formal reference)

Date adopted Link to the document Short description (up to 2

sentences of the measure

and its purpose, does it

implement an EU Directive,

if so which, or is it a MS-led

initiative)

Is the dossier binding or

non-binding i.e. law or a

strategic plan/

programme/ guidance

Leitlinien zur Abfallwirtschaft 1988

(Guidelines for Waste Management 1988)

BMUJF - Bundesministerium für Umwelt,

Jugend und Familie (1988): Leitlinien zur

Abfallwirtschaft. Vienna.

1988 Not available on internet The basic concepts and

principles to be applied in

the Austrian waste

management sector were

set down for the first time.

This was an Austrian let

initiative.

Guidance

Abfallwirtschaftsgesetz 1990

(Austrian Waste Management Act 1990)

Abfallwirtschaftsgesetz 1990 (AWG 1990,

BGBl. Nr. 325/1990): Bundesgesetz vom 6.

Juni 1990 über die Vermeidung und

06.06.1990 http://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Dokumente/BgblPdf/1990_325_0/1990_325_0.pdf Sets the rules for waste

management in Austria.

While originally an Austrian

law, in its amendments it

also transposed

requirements of the EU

Binding



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initiative)



strategic plan/

programme/ guidance

Behandlung von Abfällen, mit dem das

Chemikaliengesetz, BGBl. Nr. 326/1987,

das Bundesstatistikgesetz, BGBl. Nr.

91/1965, die Gewerbeordnung 1973, BGBl.

Nr. 50/1974, das

Altlastensanierungsgesetz, BGBl. Nr.

299/1989, das Umwelt- und

Wasserwirtschaftsfondsgesetz, BGBl. Nr.

79/1987, und das Umweltfondsgesetz,

BGBl. Nr. 567/1983, geändert werden.

waste framework directive.

Abfallwirtschaftsgesetz 2002

(Austrian Waste Management Act 2002)

- displacing the Austrian Waste

Management Act 1990

Abfallwirtschaftsgesetz 2002 (AWG 2002,

BGBl. I Nr. 102/2002 idF BGBl. I Nr.

115/2009): Bundesgesetz der Republik

Österreich, mit dem ein Bundesgesetz über

eine nachhaltige Abfallwirtschaft erlassen

und das Kraftfahrgesetz 1967 und das

Immissionsschutzgesetz-Luft geändert

wird.

16.07.2002 http://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Dokumente/Bundesnormen/NOR30006363/NOR30006363.pdf Sets the rules for waste

management in Austria.

While originally an Austrian

law it also transposes

requirements of the EU

waste framework

directives.

Binding

Federal Waste Management Plan 2006 –

4th

revision of the first Federal Waste

Management Plan of the year 1992

30.06.2006 http://www.bundesabfallwirtschaftsplan.at/

article/articleview/52746/1/13192/

The federal waste

management plan gives an

overview on the status of

the Austrian waste

management sector, it

defines the state of the art

It is primarily a guidance

document and in some

parts a strategic plan, but

is used as reference for

setting binding

requirements.



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initiative)



strategic plan/

programme/ guidance

of waste management and

contains a waste

prevention and recycling

strategy. It was required by

Austrian legislation before

Austria’s accession to the

EU, but it also fulfils

requirements of the waste

framework directives.

Whitebook on waste prevention and

recycling in Austria

(Umweltbundesamt (2007): Reisinger, H. &

Krammer, H.-J.: Weissbuch

Abfallvermeidung und –verwertung in

Österreich. Rep. 0083, Vienna.)

2007 http://umwelt.lebensministerium.at/

article/articleview/57974/1/6940

The whitebook lists the

waste management

principles to be applied

with regard to prevention

and recycling and gives

guidance in developing

waste prevention and

recycling programmes.

National initiative.

Guidance document

Verpackungsverordnung

(Ordinance on packaging waste)

Verpackungsverordnung (VerpackVO 1996,

BGBl. Nr. 648/1996 idF BGBl II 2006/364):

Verordnung des Bundesministeriums für

Umwelt, Jungend und Familie über die

Vermeidung und Verwertung von

Verpackungsabfällen und bestimmten

Warenresten und Einrichtung von Sammel-

und Verwertungssystemen

29.11.1996 http://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Dokumente/Bundesnormen/NOR30005446/NOR30005446.pdf Sets the rules for the

prevention, separate

collection and treatment of

packaging waste and the

producer responsibility for

financing the separate

waste collection. Originally

an Austrian initiative, in its

versions since 1996 it has

also transposed EU-

legislation (directive

Binding



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initiative)



strategic plan/

programme/ guidance

s94/62/EC and 2004/12/EC

on packaging waste).

Deponieverordnung 2008

(Ordinance on the landfill of waste)

Deponieverordnung 2008 (BGBl II 39/2008

idF BGBl II 185/2009): Verordnung des

Bundesministers für Land- und

Forstwirtschaft, Umwelt und

Wasserwirtschaft über Deponien.

30.01.2008 http://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Dokumente/Bundesnormen/NOR30006245/NOR30006245.pdf Sets the rules for landfilling.

Most important regulation:

only non-reactive waste

may be landfilled. Originally

an Austrian initiative, in its

versions since 1996 it has

also transposed EU-

legislation (directives

1999/31/EC and

2006/12/EC, decision

2003/33/EC)

Binding

Abfallverbrennungsverordnung

(Ordinance on the incineration of waste)

Abfallverbrennungsverordnung (AVV, BGBl.

II 389/2002 idF BGBl. II 2007/296):

Verordnung des Bundesministeriums für

Land- und Forstwirtschaft, Umwelt- und

Wasserwirtschaft und des

Bundesministeriums für Wirtschaft und

Arbeit über die Abfallverbrennung.

25.10.2002 http://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Dokumente/Bundesnormen/NOR30006077/NOR30006077.pdf Sets the rules for waste

incineration. An

amendment is prepared

which will limit the

pollutants’ concentration in

waste which is used as

replacement material or

replacement fuel.

It transposes directives

2000/76/EC, 94/67/EC,

89/369/EEC, 89/429/EEC

and 75/439/EEC

Binding

Elektroaltgeräteverordnung 29.04.2005 http://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Dokumente/Bundesnormen/NOR30004404/NOR30004404.pdf Sets the rules for the Binding



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initiative)



strategic plan/

programme/ guidance

(Ordinance on waste from electric and

electronic equipment)

Elektroaltgeräteverordnung (EAG-VO, BGBl.

II Nr. 121/2005 idF BGBl. II Nr. 496/2008):

Verordnung des Bundesministers für Land-

und Forstwirtschaft, Umwelt und

Wasserwirtschaftüber die

Abfallvermeidung, Sammlung und

Behandlung von elektrischen und

elektronischen Altgeräten.


waste from electric and

electronic equipment.

Important application of

the producer responsibility

principle.

It transposes directives

2002/96/EC, 2003/108/EC

and 2002/95/EC.

Batterienverordnung

(Ordinance on batteries)

Batterienverordnung (BatterienV, BGBl. II

2008/159): Verordnung des

Bundesministers für Land- und

Forstwirtschaft, Umwelt und

Wasserwirtschaft über die


Behandlung von Altbatterien und -

akkumulatoren.

15.05.2008 http://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Dokumente/Bundesnormen/NOR30006459/NOR30006459.pdf Sets the rules for the sales,


batteries. Important

application of the producer

responsibility principle.

A first ordinance on

batteries from 1990 was an

Austria led initiative. The

new ordinance on batteries

from 2008 transposes

directive 2006/66/EC.

Binding

Altfahrzeugeverordnung

(Ordinance on end of life vehicles)

Altfahrzeugeverordnung (BGBl. II 407/2002

idF BGBl. II 184/2006): Verordnung des

Bundesministeriums für Land- und

05.11.2002 http://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Dokumente/Bundesnormen/NOR30002536/NOR30002536.pdf Sets the rules for the


end of life vehicles.

Important application of

the producer responsibility

principle.

Binding



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initiative)



strategic plan/

programme/ guidance

Forstwirtschaft, Umwelt- und

Wasserwirtschaft über die


Behandlung von Altfahrzeugen.

It transposes directive

2000/53/EC.

MBA-Richtlinie

(Guideline on the mechanical-biological

treatment of waste)

BMLFUW (2002): Richtlinie für die

mechanisch-biologische Behandlung von

Abfällen. Wien.

01.03.2002 http://www.umweltnet.at/article/articleview/29162/1/6955/ The guidance document

defines the state of the art

for the installation and

operation of plants for the

mechanical-biological

treatment of waste.

Austrian led initiative.

It is a guidance document

and which is used as

reference for setting

binding requirements.

Landes-Abfallwirtschaftsplan Steiermark

2005 – Überarbeitung durch LAWP 2010

(Regional Waste Management Plan Styria

2005 – a revision is in preparation)

Amt der Steiermärkischen

Landesregierung, Fachabteilung 19D Abfall

und Stoffflusswirtschaft (2005): Landes-

Abfallwirtschaftsplan Steiermark. Graz

23.05.2005 http://www.abfallwirtschaft.steiermark.at/cms/beitrag/10166362/4336457/ Describes, analyses and

evaluates the frame

conditions for and the

present status of the

Styrian waste management

system and defines the

path/strategy towards a

system of material flow and

waste management.

Contains both binding

rules and not-binding

guidelines

Österreichische Nachhaltigkeitsstrategie

2002

(Austrian Strategy for Sustainable

Development 2002)

Österreichische Bundesregierung (2002):

Die Österreichische Strategie zur

April 2002 http://www.nachhaltigkeit.at/strategie/pdf/strategie020709_de.pdf Defines 20 guiding

objectives and some first

implementation steps for a

sustainable development of

Austria. Defines among

many others principles

around waste prevention

Strategic plan



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initiative)



strategic plan/

programme/ guidance

Nachhaltigen Entwicklung "Zukunft bauen -

Österreichs Zukunft nachhaltig gestalten“.

Wien, April 2002.

and the use of waste as

resource.

Transposes the EU strategy

on sustainable

development

The counts of the key concepts in these documents are shown in Annex 2.



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3. Experts interviewed/identified

This section should include a list of MS experts identified for interview, including name, organisation and contact details

(email/telephone). (The interviews will assist in understanding the relevance of the 8 different concepts, and identify anticipated

future initiatives. A maximum of four interviews should be carried out per MS, but more experts may be identified.)

Experts interviewed

Expert Name Organisation Expertise Contact

Claudia Scholz Austria Ministry of

Agriculture, Forestry,

Environment and

Water Management

Austrian waste policy Personal interview

Roland Ferth Austria Ministry of


Environment and

Water Management

Austrian waste policy Personal interview

Franka Busic Austria Ministry of


Environment and

Water Management

Austrian waste

management

legislation

Involved via Claudia

Scholz, review

Hubert Reisinger Umweltbundesamt

Austria

Waste Prevention and

Recycling

Author

4. Assessment of diffusion of the 8 key concepts

This section should assess the level of diffusion of the 8 key concepts set out in the Waste TS

(waste hierarchy; life cycle thinking; waste prevention; producer responsibility; proximity

principle; recycling society; using waste as a resource; and reducing negative environmental

impacts by better waste management) into the key policy documents identified. This should

be done by quantifying (i.e. a numerical count) the use of the 8 key concepts in each policy

document, but also by quantifying associated words or concepts.

As well as quantification, the national interpretation of the key concepts should also be

summarised qualitatively where possible, e.g. what is the context for the use of the key

concepts; does the interpretation differ from that in the Waste TS/that of the project team; is

the interpretation consistent throughout the policy documents identified. Ideally this

qualitative summary should be around half a page per key concept.



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4.1 - Waste hierarchy [Abfallhierarchie]

4.1.1 – Use of the term

Already the “Leitlinien der Abfallwirtschaft” from 1988 contribute a whole chapter to the

waste hierarchy using the term “Zielhierarchie” (= Hierarchy of objectives) establishing

priorities of waste prevention over waste recycling over disposal.

Also the Austrian Waste Management Act does not use the term “waste hierarchy”, but it

actually defines it as the first principle for achieving the goals of the act:

1. Waste masses and their pollutants’ contents are to be minimized

2. Waste is to be recovered if ecologically viable, technically possible and affordable

3. Waste which cannot be reccovered is to be treated. Solid residues are to be landfilled as

non-reactive residues.

This is one of the corner stones of all waste management regulations in Austria. Any local,

regional and national waste policy builds on that.

E.g. the Federal Waste Management Plan 2006 refers to this hierarchy when further

specifying treatment principles for specific waste streams. The Styrian Regional Waste

Management Plan refers to it in its introduction and its description of the frame conditions.

The whitebook on waste prevention and recycling contains an own chapter on the waste

hierarchy. The latest draft for the revision of the Styrian regional waste management plan

contains the term “waste hierarchy” 5 times.

4.1.2 – Use of synonyms and similar terms

The order of priority 1. Waste prevention, 2. Recovery (material recycling and energy use), 3.

Disposal of non-reactive waste is defined as the basic principle of waste management in

Austria.

4.1.3 – Origin of the term

How did the use of this term originate at the national level? Was this a consequence of EU

law making/discussions? Did this evolve at the national level? Has this been reconceived in

light of EU policy or law on this issue?

The term “waste hierarchy” was first used in EU documents. While the underlying principle

has been part of Austria waste policy at least since 1988 (under the name “hierarchy of

objectives”), the term “waste hierarchy” is penetrating Austrian documents only in recent

years.



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4.1.4 – Appropriateness of the term’s use

The waste hierarchy is defined as a principle to achieve the goal of minimal environmental

and health impact and not as a goal on its own. Thus the waste hierarchy is somewhat

restricted. It is also restricted by the term “without excessive costs”.

The whitebook on waste prevention and recycling states that all options of waste

management have to be looked at simultaneously and that the optimum combination of

waste prevention, treatment for re-use, recycling, other recovery and landfilling shall be

implemented; the optimal combination from the ecological and the macro economic point

of view should be applied.

4.2 - Life cycle thinking [Lebenszyklusdenken]


While the term “life cycle thinking” is new for the Austrian waste management policy, this

kind of “thinking” has been part of the Austrian waste management policy at least since

1988. The “Leitlinien der Abfallwirtschaft” from 1988 set as objectives of the Austrian waste

management activities

- the minimisation of the use of raw materials and energy and

- the minimisation of environmental and health impacts

by the appropriate design of all economic processes.

But also the term “life cycle thinking” is about to be taken up. In the Austrian White Book on

Waste Prevention and Recycling from 2007 the term “life cycle thinking” is used 4 times, the

term “lifecycle wide system thinking” 6 times, and the term “life cycle”24 times.

In general life cycle thinking is applied always when designing new waste legislation.


In the Austrian Strategy for Sustainable Development 2002 the term “ökologische

Gesamtbetrachtung” (Ecological consideration of the total system) is introduced: A

sustainable waste management system has to aim at strengthening resource saving by

waste prevention and recovery while considering the total system from the ecological point

of view, has to guarantee an ecologically benign waste treatment, has to capture material

and waste flows and has to strengthen the use of recycling materials and the closing of

material cycles… The quantitative and qualitative problems of the waste management

system can only be solved together with the total economic system (production and

consumption)… In order to sustainably affect the total material economy the total material

flows need to be known and the application of integrated product policy is required.

When defining the objectives of the Austrian waste management system the Austrian waste

management act takes a life-cycle perspective. E.g. it is an objective to prevent

environmental impact and to prevent depletion of natural resources (including raw



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materials).

In the White Book on Waste Prevention and Recycling the term “lifecycle wide system

thinking” is used as synonym for “life cycle thinking”. In the Styrian waste management plan

the term “lifecycle and material flow oriented considerations” is used. The federal waste

management plan uses the term “life cycle concept”.

In some occasions the term “Stoffflusswirtschaft” (material flow economy) or

“Kreislaufwirtschaft” (economy of closed material cycles) is used to stress that not only

waste streams but all material streams leading to waste streams and the attached

environmental impacts are to be considered.


The term “life cycle thinking” was first used in EU documents. While the underlying principle

has been part of Austria waste policy at least since 1990, the term is penetrating Austrian

documents only in recent years.


The term “lifecycle thinking” is only one of several terms, meaning that waste management

activities should be optimised from the macro-economic point of view, taking into account

the material streams and impacts from cradle to grave or from cradle to cradle. This kind of

thinking has been part of Austrian waste management legislation since at least 1988.

4.3 - Waste prevention [Abfallvermeidung]


Waste prevention is a corner stone of the Austrian waste management policy. This term is

already used in the Austrian “Leitlinien der Abfallwirtschaft” from 1988 more than 20 times,

and has been applied in many policy documents ever since.


Synonyms comprise “waste preventive activities”, “reduction of waste arisings”,

“minimisation of pollutant contents” etc. More seldom used is the term “waste

minimisation” for the sum of activities to minimise the amount of waste for landfilling

(including all waste recovery and recycling activities).


The term seems to be in use in Austria ever since there has been a waste management

policy.



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The term “waste prevention” in Austria is used appropriately.

A problem which occurs with waste prevention regards the necessity of the waste

management sector to implement waste prevention in the production, service and

consumption sectors and the limited power to do so. This becomes specifically clear with

qualitative waste prevention, as a limitation of pollutant concentrations frequently is not

subject to waste legislation but subject to chemicals or product legislation. Also the potential

for waste prevention in the production chain of imported products frequently is limited.

4.4 - Producer responsibility [Herstellerverantwortung, Produzentenverantwortung]


The term “producer responsibility” was already used in the Austrian “Leitlinien der

Abfallwirtschaft” from 1988. It is also used in the Federal Waste Management Plan 2006 (as

well as in the former revisions of the FWMP (2001, 1998)) and in the “Whitebook on Waste

Prevention and Recycling in Austria” from 2007. The term forms the basis for the obligation

to finance the separate collection of packaging waste and take back obligations for batteries,

waste from electric and electronic equipment as well as end-of-life vehicles as stipulated in

different ordinances.


While not meaning exactly the same, as also consumers are concerned, frequently the term

“polluter-pays-principle” is used


While the term “producer responsibility” is already used in the Austrian “Leitlinien der

Abfallwirtschaft” from 1988 and the concept is already set down there, the term “extended

producer responsibility” has been coined by Thomas Lindhquist and others within several

studies for the Sewdish government in the early 1990s7.


The term and the concept are used appropriately and sufficiently in Austria.

A specific study on the application of the producer responsibility concept7 (commissioned by

7 Beyer, P. & Kopytziok, N. (2005): Abfallvermeidung und Verwertung durch das Prinzip der

Produzentenverantwortung. ecologic, Umweltbundesamt,



17

the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Environment and Water Management)

recommends to use this instrument not too extensively as it constitutes a strong regulation

of markets. Therefore at the moment no more extension of its use is planned in Austria.

Frequently it is difficult to define the producer who shall take the responsibility, as there are

several producers in the supply chain. It is also difficult to make the actual producer

responsible when he manufactures outside the EU, especially when the supply chain is not

fully known or complex. In such cases the importer must take the responsibility.

4.5 - Proximity principle [Prinzip der Nähe]


The term proximity principle is used in the Federal Waste Management Plan 2006 and in the

“Whitebook on Waste Prevention and Recycling in Austria” from 2007.


In different documents instead of the term “proximity principle” the principle “avoidance of

long transport distances” is applied.


The term origins in the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of

Hazardous Waste and their Disposal.


The term “proximity principle” is not used frequently in Austrian waste management policy

documents, however, at the appropriate places.

When identifying the waste management solution with the least environmental impact, both

the “proximity principle” and the “autarchy principle” need to be considered.

4.6 - Recycling society [Recyclinggesellschaft]


http://www.umweltbundesamt.at/fileadmin/site/umweltthemen/abfall/abfallvermeidung/Detailst

udie_Produzentenverantwortung_050901.pdf.



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Due to its novelty the term recycling society is used infrequently in the Federal Waste

Management Plan 2006 and in the “Whitebook on Waste Prevention and Recycling in

Austria” from 2007.


In German language (in German and Austrian waste management policy language) there are

many different terms meaning more or less the same concept. In policy papers objectives

such as “to recycle the waste as much as possible (without harming the environment)” or

“to close material cycles” frequently occur. The German term “Kreislaufwirtschaft” (closed

loop economy) arguably is the closest relative of the “recycling society”.


From the Austrian perspective the term originates in the Thematic Strategy on Waste

Prevention and Recycling.


The synonyms for the recycling society are a corner stone of the Austrian waste

management policy. They are widely and appropriately used.

However, it needs to be stressed, that optimising recycling also means to prevent the

dissipation of pollutants and to prevent the spread of pollutants into products.

A main barrier for higher recycling rates frequently are low prices for primary materials.

4.7 - Using waste as a resource [Die Verwendung von Abfall als Ressource]


Using waste as a resource or the combined principle of “waste prevention and resource

conservation” have been fundaments of the Austrian waste management policy for years.

The term is actually used for example in the Austrian Sustainable Development Strategy.

Much more used is the objective “resource conservation”.


Frequently used synonyms are:

- The objective to reduce raw material consumption,

- the objective resource conservation



19


The synonyms were already used in the Austrian “Leitlinien der Abfallwirtschaft” from 1988.


Austria aims to simultaneously optimise the use of waste as a resource and minimise the

dissipation as well as spread of pollutants into products. The Guideline for Alternative

(Waste) Fuels as well as the prepared amendment of the Waste Incineration Ordinance

prescribe the requirements for wastes to be thermally recovered in order to prevent the

dissemination of pollutants.

4.8 - Reducing negative environmental impacts by better waste management

[Verringerung der Umweltauswirkungen / der Umweltfolgen durch verbesserte

Abfallwirtschaft]


This term and the underlying principle are the most important objectives of the Austrian

waste management policy. They are listed on top of the Austrian objectives starting with the

Austrian “Leitlinien der Abfallwirtschaft” from 1988 and the Austrian Waste Management

Act from 1990. This principle can be found in virtually all Austrian waste management

documents.


While the term Reducing negative environmental impacts by better waste management is

very well established, in addition the term “precautionary principle” is used in order to

underline the importance of several waste management measures.


It was first used in Austria in “Leitlinien der Abfallwirtschaft” from 1988.


The term and its underlying principle are fully established and appropriately used.

Environmental impacts by the supply chain in foreign countries are difficult to estimate and

influence (if at all). Only by reducing the demand for foreign primary materials and products

(by extending the life time of products in use, by increasing the recycling rate and by urban

mining) these impacts can be reduced.



20

End-of-life-vehicles, tyres and waste from electric and electronic equipment are exported as

waste and possibly treated with high environmental impacts in foreign countries (there is

substantial danger of eco-dumping by these exports).

5. Conclusions

• In essence the 8 key concepts have been applied in Austria already before its accession

to the EU in 1995 and have been forming the basis for national and regional waste

management planning since 1988. Only the terms “life cycle thinking” and “recycling

society” and the 5-tier waste hierarchy have been defined in recent EU documents and

as such are only found in recent documents such as the Federal Waste Management

Plan of 2006, the “Whitebook on Waste Prevention and Recycling in Austria” from 2007

and the current draft of the Styrian regional waste management plan.

• There are no gaps where the 8 key concepts are absent.

• The terms are used consistently in Austria.

• The key issue is not the use of the terms, but the way the full potential of the key

concepts can be activated. For this matter see the next chapter.

6. Next steps (if any)

The 8 key concepts have been fully established on the level of waste policy setting during

the last 22 years and with respect to their implementation in real life the recovery rate of all

waste could be increased steadily. For example relatively high recycling rates have been

achieved for demolition and construction waste, in spite of low prices for primary

construction materials. In order to exploit the potentials for waste prevention to an even

higher extend and to further develop the recycling society several “long-term” fundamental

barriers need to be addressed:

• The “throw-away-society” with ever shorter product lifes and ever faster change of

fashions

• The rebound effect (the effect that efficiency gains are not used for using less materials

but for purchasing more)

• Environmental impacts connected with and control over ever growing imports and

exports

• The fact that waste prevention from its basic ideas needs to be implemented outside the

waste management sector in areas where this sector has little control.

What needs to be done to overcome these barriers?



21

• Waste prevention and recycling strategies have to change their focus from short term

gains to long term system changes

• The coordination of raw materials’ policy, sustainable production and consumption

policy and technology development policy with waste prevention and recycling policy

needs to be further strengthened

• The concept of efficiency needs to be complemented by the concept of sufficiency (it is

not necessary to meet all needs to achieve a high quality of life)

• The development of efficient products should be complemented by the

introduction/development of efficient services (concept dematerialisation)

• Activities for fostering sustainable consumption should not stop at labelling/product

information but also include awareness campaigns for consumers on which

consequences their decisions have and what they could do to cause lower

environmental impacts.

• The concept of life cycle thinking needs to be complemented by information collection,

policy development and policy implementation (as far as possible and efficient) for all

steps of the life cycle from mining in Southern America, via production in China, to

meeting the service demand in Europe to after-consumption in Africa or Russia.



22

7. Annexes

Annex 1: Key Data on Austrian Material Flows and the Austrian Waste Management Sector

In Austria domestic material extraction (DE) in the period 1990 to 2007 grew at an average

rate of 0.5 %/a. The annual growth rate of material imports, however, with 4.4 %/a was

much higher. Domestic extraction and imports combined grew from 165 million tonnes in

1990 to 222 million tonnes in 2007 (see Figure 1). This corresponds to a growth of the per

capita material input of 21 tonnes per person in 1990 to 27 tonnes per person in 2007.

The trend of limited growth of domestic extraction and strong growth of imports is even

more pronounced with metals (see Figure 2). While the Domestic Extraction of metals

stagnated, the metal imports grew at a rate of 5.6 %/a.

But not only the imports, also the exports grew at a high rate (see Figure 3). The amount of

imports grew from 31 % as compared to the domestic material consumption in 1990 to 56

%, the exports from 16 to 37 %.

0

50

100

150

200

250

1990 1995 2000 2005 2007

Total Direct

Material

Input (DMI)

in Mt

Year

Imports

DE

Figure 1: Total Direct Material Input (DMI) by domestic Extraction (DE) and Imports to the

Austrian economy in Million tonnes (Mt) (Petrovic 2009).



23

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

1990 1995 2000 2005 2007

Direct

Material

Input (DMI)

of Metals

in Mt

Year

Imports

DE

Figure 2: Direct Material Input (DMI) by domestic Extraction (DE) and Imports for Metals

to the Austrian economy in Million tonnes (Mt) (Petrovic 2009).

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1990 1995 2000 2005 2007

Total

Material

Imports/

Exports

in Mt

Year

Imports

Exports

Figure 3: Total Material Imports and Exports to/from the Austrian economy in Million

tonnes (Mt) (Petrovic 2009).



24

In the 9 years from 1999 to 2008 total waste arisings increased from 48.6 million tons to

56.3 million tons (+ 16 %) (see Figure 4). Part of the increase can be explained by the higher

generation of secondary waste due to increased waste treatment activities. Therefore 2

million tons of the waste generated in 2008 can be allocated to secondary waste. The

arisings of excavated soils as by far the biggest waste fraction increased from 20 to 25.6

million tons.

In the period from 1999 to 2008 the arisings of waste from households and similar

establishments increased from 3.1 million tons in 1999 to 3.8 million tons in 2008 (+ 22 %).

Due to an increase in the separate collection of waste, residual household waste arisings,

however, increased only by 5 % (see Figure 5):

With the treatment of household waste, a substantial shift from landfilling to thermal

treatment took place (see Figure 6).

0.05.0

10.015.020.025.030.035.040.045.050.055.060.0

1999 2004 2008

Waste

Generation

in Mt

Year

Other waste

Construction and demolition waste

Excavated soils

Muncipal solid waste

Figure 4: Total waste arisings in Austria (Lebensministerium 2001 & 2006,

Umweltbundesamt 2009)



25

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Waste

Generation

in Mt

Year

Residual Separately collected

Figure 5: Generation of waste from households and similar establishments in Austria

(Umweltbundesamt 2009)

0,0

1,0

2,0

3,0

4,0

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Waste

Treatment

in Mt

Year

Recovery of biogenic

waste

Recovery of materials

Treatment of hazardous

and electrical-/electronic-

equipment waste

Thermal treatment

Mechanical-biological

treatment

Direct disposal on landfills

Figure 6: First treatment step of waste from households and similar establishments 1999-



26

2004 (Umweltbundesamt 2009).

In 2008 a share of 60 % of the waste generated in Austria was collected to be recovered or

conditioned and additional 18 % were thermally recovered.

In 2008 following material recycling rates were achieved:

- Approximately 80 % with construction and demolition waste

- Over 85 % for the sum of paper, metals, plastics and glass from household waste

(Umweltbundesamt 2009).

Literature to the Annex 1

Umweltbundesamt (2009): Die Bestandsaufnahme der Abfallwirtschaft in Österreich –

Statusbericht 2009. Wien. www.bundesabfallwirtschaftsplan.at.

Lebensministerium, 2001. Bundes-Abfallwirtschaftsplan / Bundesabfallbericht 2001. Vienna.

Lebensministerium, 2006. Bundes-Abfallwirtschaftsplan 2006. Vienna.

Petrovic, B. (2009): Umweltgesamtrechnungen - Modul- Materialflussrechnung, Zeitreihe

1960 bis 2007. Statistik Austria, Wien.



27

Annex 2: Counting of key concepts in key documents:

Concept/term

Waste hierarchy Life cycle thinking

Waste prevention (inc. Prevention of

waste)

Producer responsibility

Proximity principle

Recycling society (Using) waste as a

resource

Reducing negative environmental

impacts (by better waste management)

Exact

term

Similar

terms*

Exact

term

Similar

terms*

Exact

term

Similar

terms*

Exact

term

Similar

terms*

Exact

term

Similar

terms*

Exact

term

Similar

terms*

Exact

term

Similar

terms*

Exact

term

Similar

terms*

Term used in German Abfall-hierarchie

Zielhierarchie, Rangordnung der Ziele

Lebens-zyklus-denken

Lebens-zyklus-weites System-denken, Lebens-zyklus

Abfall-vermeidung, Vermeidung von Abfällen

Ver-meidung von Schad-stoffen

Hersteller-ver-antwortung, Produzenten-ver-antwortung

Verursacher-prinzip, verursacher-gerechte Kosten-zuordnung, Pflichten für Hersteller

Grundsatz der Nähe, Prinzip der Nähe

Vermeidung von längeren Transport-wegen

Recycling-gesellschaft

möglichst viel verwerten; Schließen von Stoffströmen/ Kreisläufen

Abfall als Ressource, Abfall-vermeidung und Ressourcen-schonung

Ziel geringer Rohstoff-verbrauch/ Ressourcen-schonung

Entkopplung/ Verringerung der Umweltfolgen/ Umweltaus-wirkungen, Ziel minimale Umwelt-belastung

Vorsorge-prinzip

Similar terms backtranslated in English

Hierarchy of objectives

life cycle wide system thinking, life cycle

Prevention of pollutants/ toxic substances

Polluter-pays-principle, cost allocation to polluter, obligation for producers

Avoidance of long transport distances

maximise recycling, close material cycles

objectives small raw material consumption, resource conservation

Precautionary principle

Document

Leitlinien zur Abfallwirtschaft

1988 (Guidelines for Waste

Management 1988) 3 20 1 1 7 3 10 2 Abfallwirtschaftsgesetz 1990

(Austrian Waste Management

Act 1990) 7 2 1 2 2 3 1 Abfallwirtschaftsgesetz 2002

(Austrian Waste Management

Act 2002) 18 3 2 1 2 3 2 Federal Waste Management

Plan 2006 1 14 228 5 1 4 1 2 11 27 9 14 Whitebook on waste

prevention and recycling in

Austria 3 6 4 30 290 7 8 3 1 2 6 3 46 6 10 Verpackungsverordnung

(Ordinance on packaging

waste) 19 1 1 Deponieverordnung 2008

(Ordinance on the landfill of 2



28

Concept/term

Waste hierarchy Life cycle thinking

Waste prevention (inc. Prevention of

waste)

Producer responsibility

Proximity principle

Recycling society (Using) waste as a

resource

Reducing negative environmental

impacts (by better waste management)

Exact

term

Similar

terms*

Exact

term

Similar

terms*

Exact

term

Similar

terms*

Exact

term

Similar

terms*

Exact

term

Similar

terms*

Exact

term

Similar

terms*

Exact

term

Similar

terms*

Exact

term

Similar

terms*

waste)

Abfallverbrennungsverordnung

(Ordinance on the incineration

of waste) 1 Elektroaltgeräteverordnung

(Ordinance on waste from

electric and electronic

equipment) 2 41 1 1 Batterienverordnung

(Ordinance on batteries) 1 2 21 1 1 Altfahrzeugeverordnung

(Ordinance on end of life

vehicles) 2 12 2 MBA-Richtlinie (Guideline on

the mechanical-biological

treatment of waste) 1 13 1 Landes-Abfallwirtschaftsplan

Steiermark 2005 (Regional

Waste Management Plan

Styria 2005) 14 1 1 2 2 1 7 3 Landes-Abfallwirtschaftsplan

Steiermark 2010 (Regional

Waste Management Plan

Styria 2010) 8 6 45 1 1 3 3 12 23 11 3 Österreichische

Nachhaltigkeitsstrategie 2002

(Austrian Strategy in

Sustainable Development

2002) 5 2 1 1 6 2 16 1 5

TOTAL 12 9 4 51 634 4 15 117 8 9 4 20 31 120 71 41

21 55 638 132 17 24 151 112

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