As Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) said at a press conference, this amount is “high enough to create an incentive, but not too high”. From the deadline, consumers can return the deposit to any seller of these products. “This is how we protect our nature and ensure that plastic bottles and cans are properly recycled,” says Gewessler.
The fundamental introduction of a deposit on plastic bottles and cans was already decided regarding a year ago when the Waste Management Act (AWG) was amended. However, details – such as the amount of the deposit in particular – first had to be worked out in working groups between manufacturers, dealers and the Ministry of the Environment. Ultimately, it was agreed on a deposit of 25 cents on all 0.1 and 3 liter plastic bottles and all aluminum cans, which consumers pay when they buy and which is refunded when they are returned. For reasons of hygiene, this does not apply to dairy products and mixed milk drinks.
In principle, the pledged goods can be returned to any shop that offers the corresponding products. However, there are exceptions for small shops: They only have to accept bottles and drinks in normal retail quantities or only products that they actually sell. In other words, a bakery that only sells 0.5 liter plastic bottles only has to take these back. In addition, there should also be return points at heavily frequented places such as train stations.
Retailers have until 2025 to complete the necessary conversion work and get return machines. While the large retail chains have to bear the costs themselves for the time being, there is an EU subsidy pot of 80 million euros for smaller shops. Robert Nagele, board member of the “Trägerverein Einwegpfand” and Billa AG, welcomed the introduction of the deposit as a “sustainable contribution to reducing plastic for a future worth living in.” However, he also advocated further talks regarding general subsidies for the very cost-intensive conversion work.
The deposit system is operated from a central office by representatives of the “Trägerveins Einwegpfand”. The Ministry of Climate Protection has extensive participation and control rights. “Beverage producers are responsible for the collection as they place their packaging on the market. With the introduction of a deposit system, we can meet this responsibility even better, since we can collect larger quantities of better quality and thus keep PET and aluminum as recyclable materials in the cycle more easily.” , said Philipp Bodzenta, also a member of the board of the “Trägerverein Einwegpfand” and Director of Public Affairs Coca Cola.
Environmental protection NGOs generally welcomed the introduction. “Unfortunately, 2025 is very late, Austria is lagging behind in a European comparison,” said Greenpeace spokesman Herwig Schuster. Anna Leitner, spokeswoman for resources at Global 2000, urged that the reusable system be pushed further at the same time. FPÖ environmental spokesman Walter Rauch, on the other hand, saw the deposit as the “next hammer”
SPÖ environmental spokeswoman Julia Herr criticized that the deposit will not come until 2025. “A deposit system was already decided last year, but the implementation takes more than four years – it’s far too long and incomprehensible! Every year without a deposit means hundreds of thousands of tons more waste that pollutes our environment!”, so sir.
The Neos were also pleased, “although it all comes very late,” as environmental spokesman Michael Bernhard said. Crucial details would also be missing, such as how small businesses should be supported. Jürgen Streitner, Head of the Department for Environmental and Energy Policy at the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKÖ), emphasized that the focus must now be on rapid and practicable implementation. “The special needs of small and small suppliers of beverages, for example in the catering trade and in other sectors such as bakers, butchers and confectioners, must not be forgotten under any circumstances,” says Streitner.
The introduction of the deposit was preceded by years of discussion. Recently, most supermarkets and discounters also spoke out in favor of a corresponding system. More than 900,000 tons of plastic waste are generated in Austria every year. Around 50,000 tons of this is just beverage packaging. That’s almost 2.5 billion bottles and cans that often end up in nature. There was also pressure from the EU, which stipulates a collection rate of 90 percent by 2029.
