Austria introduces packaging guarantee: how much you pay more for bottles and cans – Ziarul Românesc Austria

Austria includes a packaging guarantee. Starting in 2025, a new warranty system for single-use packaging will come into force in Austriasuch as aluminum cans and plastic bottles. The implementation of this federal regulation is managed by the organization “EWP Recycling Pfand Österreich”, which has announced that the final preparation is coming to an end. At a press conference on Tuesday, managing director Simon Parth pointed out that “almost the entire commercial network in Austria” is already equipped with automated packaging collection machines. (Continue after the picture)

Austria includes a packaging guarantee

For each plastic or metal drink container with a volume of up to three litres, users will pay a guarantee of 25 cents. Exceptions are dairy products, medical products and syrups, as they are not considered ready-to-drink beverages. In-store machines will be able to take all types of bottles and cans into circulation, but for manual returns, traders will only have to accept packaging similar to those sold – for example, a trader who only sells one-litre PET bottles sells. there is no need to accept 0.5 liter bottles or cans, he says vine.at.

Drinks manufacturers are already in “intensive contact” with the regulator to adapt packaging to the new standards by the January 2025 deadline.However, bottles and cans from the old stock may still be on shelves at the beginning of the year, because according to the regulations, recycling packaging will only be delivered after January 1, 2025. To avoid consumer confusion, Monika Fiala, executive director of “EWP Recycling Pfand Österreich”, launched an information campaign in January. (Continue after the picture)
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Impact on recycling

The guarantee system will ensure compliance with the European Union directives, according to which, from 2025, plastic bottles must be made from at least 25% recycled material. Furthermore, by 2029, EU member states must reach a collection target of 90%. Austria has been aiming to achieve this goal as early as 2027, according to Fiala.

It is believed that once implemented, the warranty system will create a circular economy through which 2.2 billion bottles and cans will be collected and recycled each year. Of these, two billion will be returned via supermarket recycling machines. The collected packaging is then transported to commercial warehouses, where they are compressed and sorted in special centers. Currently, these sorting facilities are still under construction, and temporary sorting facilities are planned for 2025.
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