Hello everyone,
As an expat in Austria, waste management can often pose challenges and requires an understanding of local standards and regulations. Understanding local practices is essential for environmental compliance and seamless integration into daily life.
Here are some points to share your experience:
How can you learn about waste management in Austria (types of waste collected, sorting, collection days, recycling, bulky items, etc.)? Do local authorities provide information on waste management to newcomers?
What are the main differences you've noticed compared to your home country in terms of waste management? How have you adapted?
Are there recycling programs, composting initiatives, or other eco-friendly alternatives to reduce waste in Austria? What personal initiatives can be implemented?
How are hazardous waste items such as batteries, household chemicals, or electronic equipment managed?
What actions are taken to encourage compliance with regulations (rewards, penalties, taxes, etc.)?
If you have any other relevant information to share about waste management, please do not hesitate!
Thank you for your contribution.
The Expat.com Team
Waste Management in Austria
Austrians care for the environment and of course waste management is part of this. As a British expat it has been uplifting for me to experience so many people caring about getting it right, from keeping things clean and not dropping litter to making the trip to the recycling centre quite a social occasion. By and large Austrians expect you to do the right thing rather than look for ways to be angry or punitive.
In my area there three collections, the general waste is collected every two weeks and you can put anything in the bin but you are charged for the weight of the contents. The bio waste is collected weekly in summer and every two weeks in winter this includes compostable food waste. The third collection we have is plastic which goes in a yellow bag/s and is collected once a month.
Everything else requires a trip to the recycling centre which as I said is rather social, we live in small village and it is open every Friday afternoon. Here you can sort and recycle everything not mentioned above, primarily of course paper, cardboard and glass. There is also a well organised sorting of everything else. A clean, friendly, well run environment. Twice a year there are special days for the hazardous substances like car batteries, motor oil, chemicals etc. (Household batteries are collected at supermarket checkouts)
@Gawain33
You are charged by weight?
@SimCityAT - for general waste yes.
@Gawain33
Wow, we don't in Lower Austria. Our plastic bags take cans and metal. We also have Red bins for paper that is collected monthly.
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