What really belongs in the yellow bag
As we have noticed that there is a lot of uncertainty about what will be collected in the yellow bag or yellow garbage can in Austria from January 1, 2023, we would like to provide an overview here. By 2025, the collection of packaging will be changed throughout Austria and standardized nationwide. The metal collection points (blue garbage cans) will disappear. Some federal states have already started the changeover on January 1, 2023. These include Vienna, Lower Austria, Carinthia, Salzburg and some Upper Austrian regions. The aim is to simplify the collection of recyclable materials and comply with the new EU directive from 2018 to recycle half of plastic packaging from 2025 and 55% from 2030.
Also new from 2025: Austria will introduce a one-way deposit for PET bottles and beverage cans between 0.1 and three liters.
What belongs in the yellow bag or yellow garbage can?
Plastic packaging
Yoghurt pots, spread or butter tubs, plastic carrier bags, sausage and cheese packaging, meat cups, fruit or vegetable trays, plastic nets for fruit, for example, blister packaging for tablets and much more
Packaging material composite
e.g. milk/beverage cartons, potato chips packaging, coffee packaging, frozen food packaging, ready-made soup bags, instant coffee cans, etc.
Packaging Plastics Bottles
e.g. PET bottles, packaging for detergents and cleaning agents, shampoo bottles, cooking oil plastic bottles, etc.
Metal and aluminum packaging
e.g. beverage and food cans, can lids, crown caps, dairy product lids, jam lids, mustard or tomato paste tubes, aluminum menu trays, etc.
Styrofoam packaging
e.g. transport packaging for various electrical appliances, polystyrene chips, etc.
In addition, packaging made from the following materials
- Textile (jute bags etc.)
- Wood (strawberry baskets, cake boxes, small fruit crates, etc.)
- Ceramics, porcelain, earthenware (cosmetic jars, etc.)
- Cork (bottle corks etc.)
- Biodegradable materials (bags made from organic plastic, trays made from corn starch, etc.)
What does NOT belong in the yellow bag
Everything that does NOT count as LIGHT packaging may not be put in the bag. According to Austria, this includes
Toys, swimming animals, swimming aids,
inflatable boats, air mattresses, garden hoses,
tarpaulins, shower curtains, floor coverings,
household appliances, garden tools,
scrap iron, electrical and electronic appliances,
tool parts etc.
Furthermore also
Residual waste, packaging with residual contents,
Packaging made from other materials, e.g.
glass, paper (please place in the correct collection containers), paint cans or spray cans with residual contents
(please take to the hazardous waste collection),
hazardous materials such as batteries,
mechanically compressed/compacted waste etc.
"We expect an increase in the collection of plastic packaging of up to 20 percent by 2023. This is an important step towards greater climate protection and achieving the EU recycling targets, as we need to double the recycling of plastic packaging in Austria by 2025," explains ARA CEO Harald Hauke.
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