Interregional Training Session, May 14th, 2014 – Graz, Styria 1 / 16

WASTE MANAGEMENTIN AUSTRIA: DOES PRACTICE FULFIL THE GOALS?Paul H. Brunner Astrid AlleschVienna University of Technology May 14, 2014

Interregional Training Session, May 14th, 2014 – Graz, Styria 2 / 16

The Goals

Waste Management Act 1990− prevent harmful or adverse effects on

humans, animals, and plants

− minimize air pollution and gases affecting the climate

− conserve resources (raw materials, energy, landfill volumes)

− ensure that materials reclaimed do not present a greater risk than comparable primary raw materials

− ensure that only such waste remains as can be stored without danger to future generations

/2002

Interregional Training Session, May 14th, 2014 – Graz, Styria 3 / 16

Principles for reaching the goals

EU Waste hierarchy

Disposal as cornerstone-> Sanitation and hygiene-> Pollutants: without disposal no sustainability

prevention

re-use

recycling

energy recovery

disposal

1

2

3

4

5

waste hierarchy

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0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

ATNLDKDESEBELUUK

ITLVCYROLTMTBGGR

Overall Score

EU acknowledges high standard of Austrian wm− Screening of WM Performance of EU Member States− 42 Criterias (e.g.: amount of municipal waste recycled or waste recovered)

WM in Austria – a success story

…..

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WM in Austria – a success story

0,0

0,5

1,0

1,5

2,0

2,5

3,0

3,5

0,000

0,005

0,010

0,015

0,020

0,025

0,030

0,035

0,040

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

Land

fill

Was

te in

cine

ratio

n

GHG Off-products Austria CO2- equ. [Tg (million tonnes)]

Waste incineration Landfill

GHG-emissions are decreasing substantially

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High recycling rates− 66 % for packaging waste - among the highest in the EU (2011)

WM in Austria – a success story

Recycling rates for packaging waste 2011 [%]

<5050-5555-6060-65>65

Interregional Training Session, May 14th, 2014 – Graz, Styria 7 / 16

Goal− Assess the effectiveness of the Austrian wm system with regards to

the goals

Methodology

How to further improve? Benchmarking!

Sub-Goalse.g. reduction of the greenhouse effect

Benchmarkse.g. CO2-neutrale WM

Indicatorse.g. Off-products of CO2 and CH4

Goals 1.Prevent humans, animals, plants2.minimize air pollution 3.conserve resources4.Potential hazards of Recycling5.Safe disposal

Current State of theAustrian WM collection - prevention transport - guidance Recycling - etc. incineration landfill

Disposal serviceFacilities und systems

Source of resourcesz.B. metals, plastic

Source of emissionsz.B. heavy metals, org. compounds

compare

Benchmark

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Austrian wm as a STAN system I

180

320

760

2,700

3512,000

0

5,2000

12,000590

900

28

1,200

49,000

16,000

44

10,000350

560

880840

0

1,80026

0

43014012

16

670

9,5001,500

2,8000

2,4006,000

100

0 +12,000

Import: 57,000 kt/yr Stock 12,000 kt/yr Export 45,000 kt/yr

Landfill(LF)

Biologicaltreatment

(BT)

Thermaltreatment

(TT)

Off-products OT

Products OT

Export OT

Direct recycling

Emisions transportRe-useWaste export

Off-products TTProducts TT

Export TT

Off-products BT

Products BT

Export BT

Off-products LF

Waste OT-TT

Waste BT-TTWaste OT-BT

Waste TT-LF

Waste OT

Waste CPT

Auxiliary materials OT

Aux. mat. CPT

Waste LF

Aux. mat. LF

Waste BTAux. mat. BT

Waste TTAux. mat. TT

Waste OT-LF

Waste CTP-TT

Austrian waste

Waste BT-LF

Products LFExport LF

Off-products CPT

Products CPTExport CPT

Othertreatment

(OT

Collection &

transportation

(incl. distribution of

auxiliary materials)

Chemico-physical

treatment (CPT)

System boundary “Waste Management Austria, 2010”

GoodsFlows in 1,000 t/yrStock in 1,000 t

Auxiliary materials

Imported waste 110

7,600

Biologicaltreatment

(BT)

Biologicaltreatment

(BT)

Interregional Training Session, May 14th, 2014 – Graz, Styria 9 / 16

250

260

320

760

880

840

1,100

2,300

550

28

0

2,800

740

1400

1,400

0

740

82

800

87

410

0

11

280

0

0

180

87

Import: 2,800 kt/yr Stock 0 kt/yr Export 2,800 kt/yr

Waste BT-LF

Waste BT-TT

Off-products BT

Products BT

Transport BT

Products CP

Residues CPWaste CP

Auxiliarymaterial CP

Waste BP

Sorting waste

Auxiliarymaterial BP

Off-products CP

Products BP

Digestate BP

Off-products CP

Products MBTm

Waste MBTm

Emissio. MBTm

Products MBTbWaste

MBTm-MBTb

Digestate 2

Waste MBTb

Off-products MBTb

Waste OT-BT

Auxiliarymaterial to BT

Waste to BT

Biologicaltreatment

(MBTb)

Mechanicaltreatment(MBTm)

Biogasplant(BP)

Compostplant(CP)

Outputfrom

biologicaltreatment

Waste to sorting

Waste to MBT

Input intobiologicaltreatment

Sorting

System boundary “Biological treatment Austria, 2010”GoodsFlows in 1,000 t/yrStock in 1,000 t

Transportfrom BT

Austrian wm as a STAN system II

Interregional Training Session, May 14th, 2014 – Graz, Styria 10 / 16

Benchmarking - Project structure

contractingauthorities

contractorsproject management

project-team

Advisory group comprising ALL

stakeholders

contractual relationship flow of information

ARA - Altstoff Recycling Austria, ABRG - Asamer-Becker Recycling GmbH, B – Burgenland, BMLFUW - Austrian Federal Ministry, BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, IUT - Ingenieurgemeinschaft Innovative Umwelttechnik, K – Carinthia, MUL - Montanuniversität Leoben, NÖ – Lower Austria, OÖ – Upper Austria, ÖWAV - Austrian Water and Waste Management Association, St – Styria, S – Salzburg, VÖEB – Union Ausrian disposal companies , V – Vorarlberg, W –Vienna

ÖWAVOÖ

QUANTUM

NÖ AWV

V

Saubermacher

VÖEB

BMLFUW

St

DAKA

Müllex

Niederhuber

MULTU Wien

IUTGrafenwörth

ARA

S

MA 48K

Denkstatt

ABRG

W NÖ B OÖ St K Sfederal states privates

Interregional Training Session, May 14th, 2014 – Graz, Styria 11 / 16

Benchmarking - Expected Results

Answer to the questions:

− Does the established legislative, technological and socio-economic system fulfil the ambitious goals of the waste management act?

− Is the chosen waste management concept effective?− How can the effectiveness of this system be further

improved? support for decision making base for new strategies

Interregional Training Session, May 14th, 2014 – Graz, Styria 12 / 16

Case study PBDEs (Stocks/Flows - Vienna)

Where progress is needed: clean cycles!m

ain

syst

em v

ienn

aSu

bsys

tem

env

ironm

ent

Subsystem W

MSubsystem

consumption

Interregional Training Session, May 14th, 2014 – Graz, Styria 13 / 16

Case study PBDEs (Stocks/Flows - Vienna)

“Clean cycles”:− Quantitative recycling strategies neglect qualitative aspects− increasing complexity of products growing demand for “clean cycles”

up to 20 % of the endocrine flame retardant cOctaBDE is returned back to consumption by recycling of plastics

Where progress is needed: clean cycles!

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Where progress is needed: safe sinks!“final sinks”:

− A “clean cycle” strategy produces more wastes for disposal

− waste management is the key “sink” and “final sink”

Interregional Training Session, May 14th, 2014 – Graz, Styria 15 / 16

Summary and conclusions

• Learning from each other by comparing wm systems• Improving wm by benchmarking regions and countries• Disposal technologies of high standards (WTE, landfilling)• Resource issues high on the agenda

− Technology − Markets− Quality?

• From quantitative to qualitative recycling goals• “Final sinks” a key issue for future waste management

Recycling is not

is the final sink