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The increase in plastic waste in Austria is offset by the reusable quota, the plastic tank and the manufacturer’s fee for plastic packaging.
Federal Minister Leonore Gewessler today presented the 3-point plan against plastic waste at the Ministry of the Environment.
In Austria, 900,000 tonnes of plastic waste is generated every year. According to estimates by the Federal Environment Agency, this number will rise to one million tonnes by 2021. However, starting in 2021, the EU will apply a tax to non-recycled plastic packaging from its member states. In order to keep this coming tax as low as possible for future taxpayers, Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler presented a “three-point plan against plastic flooding” at a press conference on Monday, 7 September. September.
3-point plane with directional effect
The EU tax model does not foresee any steering effect, so companies have no incentive to reduce plastic packaging and at the same time increase the recycling rate. The taxpayer has to pay anyway. Also, it doesn’t matter for consumers if they try to avoid plastic when shopping.
Therefore, and in the context of the increasing amount of plastic waste and the state budget, which is already greatly overloaded by Corona, the Minister of Climate Protection, Gewessler, has developed a counterproposal that should alleviate the environment and at the same time to all Austrians. The goal: significantly less plastic waste in Austria and significantly less tax money for the plastic tax in the EU. The three points are broken down as follows:
1. Reusable rate – Freedom of choice for consumers
The share of reusable beverage containers (usually reusable glass bottles) in Austrian retail is expected to increase significantly. For this purpose, binding quotas are established for the proportion of reusable packaging sold at retail:
as of 2023, at least 25 percent reusable share
as of 2025, at least 40 percent share reusable
as of 2030, at least 55 percent reusable share
The benefit: In the future, reusable items will be available in all stores in Austria. This gives consumers true freedom of choice. If you want reusable ones, for example in the form of glass bottles, you can buy them reusable. If plastic bottles are replaced by reusable containers, the amount of plastic waste automatically decreases. Reusable bottles are refilled up to 50 times, saving energy and resources. A reusable system had already proven itself in Austria in the 1990s.
2. One way deposit – Less plastic waste in nature, more recycling
In the future, a deposit will be charged when purchasing one-way beverage containers (plastic bottles and cans). A corresponding repository model is currently being developed together with stakeholders (beverage manufacturers, collection and recycling systems, retailers, waste disposal companies and civil society) at the Ministry of Climate Protection.
The benefit: If the plastic bottles are returned to the store, they can be more easily recycled. The recycling quota increases and the tax burden of the EU plastic tax decreases. In addition, a reservoir prevents bottles and cans from being carelessly disposed of and ending up in the wild.
3. Manufacturer’s tax for plastic containers
In accordance with the polluter pays principle, producers and importers will impose in the future a tax of 80 cents per kilogram of plastic containers marketed in the market.
The manufacturer’s rate should be ecologically staggered:
If the packaging is particularly suitable for recycling or if it contains a part of recycled material, the tax is reduced.
Furthermore, it is linked to the amount of the EU plastic tax that must be paid: if Austria’s recycling rate increases, the tax burden due to the plastic tax also decreases. Savings are passed on to producers and importers through a reduced levy on the manufacturer.
The benefit: the rate has a triple direction effect. It rewards the use of alternative packaging materials and plastic with a recycled content, leads to a higher recycling rate and therefore also lower manufacturing taxes.
The additional procedure to implement the 3-point plan is as follows:
Amendment of the Waste Management Act (AWG):
The new Waste Management Law establishes both the reusable quota for beverages in the retail sale of food (as stipulated in the government agreement) and the basis for the introduction of a one-way deposit on beverage containers. A corresponding repository model is currently being developed at the Ministry of Climate Protection.
Manufacturer’s Tax on Plastic Containers:
A template for the manufacturer’s rate is available and will be included in upcoming budget negotiations.
Plastic waste in Austria and the EU plastic tax
Plastikabfälle:
In Austria there are currently 900,000 tonnes of plastic waste per year. According to estimates by the Federal Environment Agency, it will be one million tons by 2021. Plastic packaging makes up almost a third of this amount. For example, 45,000 tons of single-use plastic bottles are sold annually.
Reusable rate:
Currently only about 19 percent (retail and catering) of all beverages are packaged in returnable bottles. In 1995 it was 80 percent, also due to a legally binding reusable quota.
Recycle quote:
So far only 25 percent of plastic waste in Austria has been recycled, the rest is incinerated.
EU-Plastiksteuer:
According to the decision of the European Council of July 21, 2020, the member states will contribute 80 cents per kilogram of non-recycled plastic packaging from 2021. The basis for calculating the rate is the quantities communicated in accordance with the Directive frame on waste. The aim of the fee is to create strong incentives for EU member states to reduce plastic packaging and increase recycling rates.
Gewessler Environment Minister 3-Point Plan Video: https://bit.ly/3h7wxzN
