New Landfill Ordinance is another milestone in waste management
Eliminate potential future hazards for humans and the environment, save raw materials, energy reserves and waste disposal space - these are the principal waste management goals of the Landfill Ordinance.
The occasion to revise the Austrian Ordinance of 1996 was the implementation of the EU Landfill Directive and Landfill Decision which made an adaptation of the Austrian legislation necessary. The new provisions relate above all to the waste acceptance procedure and to adaptations concerning the financial securities of landfills.The Ordinance entered into force on 1 March 2008. For existing landfills, there are progressive transitional periods.
The ban on dumping organic, reactive waste as well as the basic requirements on landfill technology and groundwater protection remained in force.
Accordingly, since 1 January 2004 only pre-treated wastes that are largely non-hazardous to health and the environment have been permitted for landfilling. Apart from the reduction of the landfilled waste, this means the avoidance of water- and soil-polluting contaminated sites, the reduction of greenhouse gases, careful resource management, and is thus an investment into the environment for future generations. Since that time there have also been regional differences with respect to waste separation, in particular concerning plastic packagings.
The website “Richtig sammeln” (Collect correctly) established by the Ministry of Life offers further information on the subject.
08.10.2008, Lebensministerium VI/6