Austria has taken important steps towards a more circular economy, but much deeper changes in consumption and production patterns will be needed to meet the ambitious goals of its Circular Economy Strategy. This chapter assesses Austria’s progress in sustainably managing waste and improving resource‑use efficiency and circularity. It reviews the legal, strategic and institutional framework for the circular economy, as well as the role of the private sector. It also examines the mix of policy instruments in place to enhance circularity, including for key waste and material streams such as construction and demolition waste, plastics, textiles, electrical and electronic equipment, and food waste.
OECD Environmental Performance Reviews: Austria 2026
Abstract
2.1.1. Austria’s Circular Economy Strategy sets an ambitious vision and targets
Austria’s policy framework for the circular economy brings together a broad set of policy documents and instruments. The Circular Economy Strategy (CE Strategy), adopted in December 2022, plays a central role. The CE Strategy, developed with participation from the business sector, research organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), identifies key themes, objectives and pathways towards the circular economy. It sets out a long-term vision to achieve a transition to a climate-neutral, sustainable circular economy by 2050, with interim milestones for 2030 (BMK, 2022[1]). This represents a major shift in Austria’s economy, and the CE Strategy notes that work towards this long-term objective is only starting. The strategy articulates overarching principles, including the need for business models, services and products to become as circular as possible. It also lists a set of measures, ranging from regulatory action to funding.
The CE Strategy sets four main goals, linked to five quantitative targets (Table 2.1), and indicates pathways to achieve these goals. For example, to increase the circularity rate by 2030, material use should fall by around 20% compared to 2020, while recycling should increase by about 10%. Recent trends towards these targets are presented in Section 2.2.
While the CE Strategy is a stand-alone document, it builds on other policies and instruments, many of which were already in place. These include regulatory, economic, research and educational measures to support implementation, covering areas such as ecodesign, extended producer responsibility (EPR), sustainable public procurement and digitalisation. The private sector and research institutions have been involved in circular initiatives; public awareness and action are also needed to achieve shifts in consumption patterns and lifestyles. Consequently, a range of closely interrelated policies and actions are involved.
Austria published a 2024 monitoring report on the CE Strategy. Among its provisions, the 2024 report highlights the need for a stronger monitoring framework for the CE Strategy. This framework should seek to link measures to results in the areas of the strategy’s goals, a step that would support the evaluation of the strategy planned for 2027. Moreover, while the CE Strategy sets timeframes for its objectives, it does not do so for its measures, making it difficult to assess whether the pace of implementation meets expectations. Austria should take this step and, after the 2027 evaluation, consider setting more ambitious and longer-term CE targets to follow those for 2030.
2.1.2. Multi-level governance is central to delivering circular economy ambitions
Austria’s waste and circular economy system involves a division of responsibilities across federal, regional (federal states) and municipal levels. The federal government establishes waste legislation and policies to ensure uniform national approaches and manages hazardous waste. At federal level, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management (BMLUK) leads on waste management and circular economy (in 2020‑2025, the former Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology [BMK] had this role). Other ministries also contribute: for example, the Federal Ministry of Women, Science and Research finances research and development for the circular economy.
Federal agencies provide technical support. The Austrian Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt) provides data and scientific analysis to BMLUK and other ministries on waste management and the circular economy. Others include the Austrian Energy Agency, whose work on energy efficiency in buildings promotes circular construction practices.
The effectiveness of the CE Strategy thus depends on co‑ordination across government bodies, as well as with a broad range of stakeholders. A Task Force for Circular Economy supports this co‑ordination. The Task Force, established in 2023, brings together representatives from federal ministries, companies, academia and civil society. It provides recommendations to BMLUK and the federal government for implementation of the strategy (BMK, 2024[2]).
Austria’s federal legislation for waste management is a key element of the CE Strategy. The Waste Management Act (Abfallwirtschaftsgesetz, AWG), originally adopted in 2002, sets out core principles, including the waste hierarchy and the polluter-pays principle. It also outlines obligations for waste holders, public authorities and private operators. Austria has integrated circular economy objectives into the AWG through a 2021 amendment, Circular Economy Package (AWG-Novelle Kreislaufwirtschaftspaket, 2021), which states that waste management must be aligned with, and promote, circular economy principles.
At subnational level, the federal states manage non-hazardous waste and establish waste management laws and plans in line with federal legislation. Several federal states have incorporated circular economy objectives and measures in their waste management plans. Municipalities, in turn, organise the collection of municipal solid waste, as well as hazardous waste, waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), and waste portable batteries and accumulators from households. Several municipalities, including leading cities, have also launched initiatives to advance the circular economy (Section 2.3.2). Stronger co‑ordination across the different levels of government could share good practices and catalyse further action.
2.1.3. EU legislation and policy set the framework
The European Union (EU) has established a comprehensive legal and policy framework for waste management. EU rules cover a wide range of waste streams, including municipal solid waste (MSW), construction and demolition waste (CDW), sewage sludge and waste shipments within the EU and to non-EU countries. The EU and national levels interact closely. Notably, Austria’s AWG transposes the 2008 Waste Framework Directive (WFD) and its targets and requirements into national law. The WFD, together with other EU waste legislation, forms a key structure in the framework for waste management and circular economy in Austria. The 2021 amendments to the AWG included the transposition of the 2019 EU Single-Use Plastics Directive.
The EU’s circular economy policies have helped shape Austria’s approach. The EU’s Circular Economy Action Plans (CEAPs) of 2015 and 2020 launched EU-level initiatives on plastics, food waste, and construction and sustainable products. The European Commission (the “Commission”) has also established a circular economy monitoring framework with cross-country indicators on material consumption, waste generation and recycling, secondary raw materials and trade in recyclable raw materials. The 2020 CEAP called on Member States to prepare their own circularity policies, stimulating work on Austria’s CE Strategy. Recent policy initiatives also set out circularity objectives. Notably, the Clean Industrial Deal, published in February 2025, sets a target for the EU to reach a 24% circularity rate by 2030 – higher than Austria’s goal (Table 2.1) to reach 18% by 2030.
Recent EU legislation further develops a common, EU-wide basis on key circularity topics. Notably, the 2024 Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation will require a range of products to be more durable, repairable and recyclable, as well as more energy efficient. Products will need to have a “digital passport”, including information on their contents, to support repair and recycling. Requirements will be established across product categories, with textiles, mattresses, furniture and tyres identified among the first to be prepared. The 2024 Raw Materials Act (Section 2.3.3) requires recycling to supply a greater share of demand for Europe’s raw materials. The EU’s 2025 amendments to the WFD introduce requirements on textiles (Section 2.4.3) and food waste (Section 2.4.5). The Commission has announced that a Circular Economy Act will be proposed for adoption in 2026. It will provide a legal framework to support movement of secondary raw materials within the EU and higher recovery of critical raw materials from waste; it will also require greater use of recycled and bio-based materials.
Global and European economic trends also influence developments in Austria’s small open economy. In textiles, for example, global production and consumption patterns have moved in the opposite direction of resource efficiency and circularity (Section 2.4.3).
2.2.1. Domestic resource consumption and material footprint have decreased, but Austria may not meet all the CE Strategy’s targets
Austria’s domestic resource efficiency – in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) per domestic material consumption (DMC) – increased from 2010 to 2024. In this relative decoupling, GDP rose while DMC decreased after 2021 (Figure 2.1, panel A). Non-metallic minerals – which are mainly used in construction – made up over half of DMC in 2024, followed by biomass from agriculture and forestry. For the EU as a whole, non-metallic minerals also predominate, accounting for 53% of DMC in 2024 (Eurostat, 2025[3]).
Note: Real GDP at 2020 prices. Domestic material consumption (DMC): amount of materials directly used in the economy, i.e. domestic extraction used minus exports plus imports. Material productivity: amount of gross domestic product (GDP) generated per unit DMC. Preliminary 2024 DMC values.
Source: Eurostat (2025), Material Footprint (dataset); OECD (2025), OECD Environment Statistics (dataset); Statistics Austria (2025), Material Flows Accounts (dataset).
From 2010 to 2024, consumption of fossil energy carriers fell sharply as Austria increased use of renewables (Figure 2.1, panel B). Consumption of non-metallic minerals fell slightly over this period, with most of the decrease occurring after 2021, corresponding to a recession with a downturn in the construction industry. With current trends, Austria may meet the CE Strategy’s 2030 target to reduce DMC by 25% compared to 2018; however, resource productivity in terms of GDP/DMC may not reach the target of a 50% increase compared to the 2015 level.
Material footprint, which includes materials processed abroad for products consumed domestically, decreased by 22% between 2015 and 2024 to 18.4 tonnes per capita (Figure 2.2). An estimated 40% of Austria’s footprint was generated outside of the country in 2020 (BMK, 2020[4]). Moreover, Austria’s footprint is 34% higher than the EU average. Recent trends put Austria on track to meet the CE Strategy’s 2050 target, an 80% decrease compared to 2017 levels. However, continuing this progress will require major shifts in production and consumption patterns, including in the consumption of imported goods.
Per capita footprint, European countries of the OECD, 2015 and 2024
Note: Material footprint: amount of raw materials extracted to produce goods and services disregarding where these materials are produced (domestic production or imports). Norway: data for 2015 and 2022.
Source: Eurostat (2025), Material Footprint (dataset).
2.2.2. Construction drives 80% of Austria’s waste
CDW represented almost four-fifths of all waste generated in Austria in 2022 (Figure 2.3, panel A), followed by manufacturing and household waste. In this measure, CDW includes excavated materials, which alone account for more than half of total waste. The high level of excavated materials has been due in part to infrastructure projects such as railroad tunnels. In addition, Austria uses a strict definition for determining when excavated soil is classified as waste, including certain types of soil excavation for agriculture. This leads to large volumes of soil designated as construction waste.
While CDW has generally increased in the past decade, recent data suggest a decline in 2023. The generation of CDW (including excavated materials) grew by 39% between 2014 and 2022, driving the rise in total waste (Figure 2.3, panel B). According to preliminary figures, however, CDW fell in 2023, with the generation of excavated soils falling 13%. This decline is linked to less construction activity due to Austria’s recession, with value added in the sector falling by 7.5% from 2022 to 2023 (BMLUK, 2025[5]).
In the long term, decoupling construction activity from waste generation (and consumption of primary materials) will be necessary to achieve circularity goals (Section 2.4.1). The generation of other major waste streams, such as manufacturing, services and households, grew less than 10% from 2014 to 2022 (Figure 2.3, panel B). However, household waste also fell during the recession.
Note: Data refer to total waste. Other includes waste from agriculture, forestry and fishing; mining and quarrying; electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply activities.
Source: Eurostat (2024), Generation of waste by waste category, hazardousness and NACE Rev. 2 activity (dataset).
2.2.3. Municipal solid waste generation is high, although almost all is recycled, composted or incinerated
Austria has one of the highest reported levels of MSW, which reflects the country’s high level of per capita income. In 2020, Austria added services and other sectors alongside household waste to its data series, which significantly increased the amount of MSW reported. MSW generation of 782 kg per capita in 2023 (Figure 2.4, panel A) was 53% higher than the EU average of 511 kg per capita. Together with Denmark, Austria had the highest level reported among EU Member States; however, there are statistical differences in reporting, such as the extent to which economic sectors are included in MSW alongside household waste.
While trends suggest Austria is on track to meet MSW targets, the country will need to decouple MSW waste generation from future growth, reduce consumption and prevent waste at the household level. From 2020 to 2023, MSW per capita decreased 6%. Small reductions in both waste from households and from other sources were due both to policy action to reduce waste and to Austria’s recession. If this trend continues, Austria will be on track to meet the CE Strategy’s 2030 target for MSW of 750 kg per capita. However, further efforts are needed to reduce household consumption and prevent household waste. Austria should consider developing an additional target more closely related to the CE Strategy’s objective: the reduction of household material consumption.
Levels of recycling, composting and incineration – the main MSW treatment methods – have remained largely unchanged for more than a decade (Figure 2.4, panel A). By 2011, Austria had already met the EU’s 2035 target to send at most 10% of MSW to landfills.1 Between 2020 and 2023, recycling increased (from 25% to 41% of all MSW) and the share of composting decreased. However, these changes resulted largely from shifts in statistical methods; since 2020, there has been little real change.
Note: Incineration: incineration without energy recovery, unless otherwise specified. Panel B: Ireland, 2020 data; Czechia and Japan, 2021 data.
Source: Eurostat (2025), Waste (dataset); OECD (2025), OECD Environment Statistics (dataset).
Nonetheless, Austria’s high level of recycling and composting together accounted for a little over 60% of MSW treatment in 2023, a level exceeded only by Germany and Slovenia among OECD Europe countries (Figure 2.4, panel B). Austria has thus met the EU target to achieve at least 55% recycling and preparing for re-use of MSW by 2025 (for the target, recycling includes composting). By 2035, the target rises to 65%, and Austria has only a short distance to reach this level.
Austria prepares a relatively small amount of waste for re-use, reaching 1% of MSW treatment in 2023 – about 5 kg per capita (Eurostat, 2025[6]). Nonetheless, this level is higher than most EU Member States that reported data, behind only Belgium (9 kg per capita in 2023). Social enterprises in Austria (Section 2.5.2) play an important role in preparing waste such as textiles for re-use. It will be valuable to build on this and increase re-use, which is a key component of circularity.
2.2.4. Austria’s circular material use rate has risen
Austria’s circular material use rate, which measures the share of reused and recycled material in DMC, has slowly grown in recent years, reaching an estimated 13.8% in 2023. While this is higher than the EU average, it remains below levels in the leading EU Member States (Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands) (Figure 2.5).
Austria appears on track to meet its 2030 target of 18% for circular material use; however, the EU recently set a higher target of 24% (Section 2.4.2). Both Austria and the EU as a whole may find the new target challenging to reach.
Among the major types of waste materials, recycling rates are high for CDW, metals, and cellulose and paper (Figure 2.6). In contrast, only about 20% of total plastic waste is recycled, although it is higher for plastic packaging (Section 2.4.2). Preparation for re-use is greater than 1% only for all textiles. However, it is higher for separately collected textiles, which are mainly garments (Section 2.4.3).
Circular material use rate in selected European countries of the OECD, 2023
Note: This indicator is based on major waste and material streams but does not include excavated soils. Data include estimates.
Source: Eurostat (2025), Circular Material Use Rate (dataset).
Treatment of key waste streams, 2023
Note: Data do not include storage. Construction and demolition waste (CDW) does not include excavated materials. Textiles refer to all textiles across different waste streams, including household textiles, bulky waste such as furniture, and textiles in tyres and medical waste.
Source: BMLUK (2025[5]), Die Bestandsaufnahme der Abfallwirtschaft in Österreich: Statusbericht 2025 für das Referenzjahr 2023.
Recycling rates presented in Figure 2.6 include domestically generated waste, waste imported and treated in Austria and waste exported for treatment abroad. For several waste streams – including metals, paper and cardboard, and plastics – imports and exports are significant (Table 2.2). The great majority of waste exports are within the EU; moreover, those outside the EU go mainly to Switzerland, including most of the non-EU exports of the four waste streams shown in Figure 2.6. For other waste streams, such as textiles, Austria lacks domestic recycling capacity (Section 2.4.3).
Source: BMLUK (2025[5]), Die Bestandsaufnahme der Abfallwirtschaft in Österreich: Statusbericht 2025 für das Referenzjahr 2023; Eurostat (2025), Trade in recyclable raw materials (dataset).
For Austria, an advanced but comparatively small and open economy, efforts for the circular economy are closely linked to activities in neighbouring countries and in the EU as a whole. The country’s high level of imports demonstrates the strength of its waste treatment industry. More generally, as trade can develop economies of scale and avoid excess capacity, Austria will need to co‑ordinate future investments in recycling with its neighbours.
A range of federal policies and plans work alongside the CE Strategy (Table 2.3), as do state and local plans. These policies and plans set out policy instruments for waste management and circular economy. They include economic and regulatory instruments to promote waste re-use and recycling, funding for investment and research, and co‑operation with business to promote investment. While such policies and plans provide a strong foundation to advance circularity, further efforts are needed in areas such as greater co‑ordination among state and local governments; actions to achieve ambitious EU goals for secondary raw materials; and support for the greater use of new, more circular business models.
Sources: Country submission and publicly available government documents.
Through its legal and policy actions, Austria has implemented the provisions of the OECD’s 2004 Recommendation of the Council on Material Flows and Resource Productivity [OECD/LEGAL/0324] and 2008 Recommendation of the Council on Resource Productivity [OECD/LEGAL/0358]. Among these, Austria has co‑operated with the OECD and Eurostat on material flow indicators, improving the extent and quality of information and the analysis of material flows, and developing indicators on resource productivity. Austria has also implemented other key provisions of these Recommendations. These include developing and promoting new technologies to promote resource productivity and encouraging co‑operation and sharing of best practices among enterprises; and promoting framework conditions for resource productivity through the use of economic instruments.
2.3.1. National waste management plans and policy instruments provide a foundation for circularity goals
Austria’s federal waste management plans (WMPs), together with their associated waste prevention programmes (WPPs), have supported implementation of national waste management legislation and progress towards CE Strategy goals. The 2017 WMP refers to “implementing a circular economy” in its “vision” statement, and includes measures to promote waste re-use and recycling. The 2017 WPP, attached to the WMP, identifies key sectors for waste reduction. These include measures for CDW and for encouragement of re-use for major waste streams such as WEEE and textiles.
Updates to the WMP and WPP further support the CE Strategy. The 2023 WMP indicates “promoting a circular economy” as the first point of its “vision”. It also calls for reducing the pollutant content of products and overall consumption of raw materials; and for promoting “resource-efficient, durable, repairable and reusable products”. In addition, the 2023 WMP comprises around 90 measures targeting areas such as construction waste, food waste, plastics and packaging, and textiles: it thus addresses many priority sectors and themes in the CE Strategy. For its part, the 2023 WPP calls for waste reduction in many of these sectors. It identifies 30 indicators to track progress across municipal waste, CDW, packaging waste, food waste, textiles and other themes (the 2023 WPP does not, however, specify baselines or targets for its indicators). These indicators could support a monitoring system for the circular economy.
A mix of economic and regulatory instruments supports recycling and waste reduction
Austria has implemented “pay-as-you-throw” systems (PAYT) for MSW. These systems, mandated under the Waste Management Act, are established by the federal states. They are based on the volume or weight of residual waste generated and the frequency of collection. For example, in Salzburg, waste fees are based on the size and number of waste containers: in 2025, households paid EUR 5.40 per 60 litre bag for residual waste and EUR 3.20 per 60 litre bag for garden waste (Stadt Salzburg, 2025[7]). Austria is among a small set of European countries where more advanced PAYT systems are in place for a high share of the population (EEA, 2023[8]).
Austria’s long-standing landfill tax has not been raised for more than a decade. Austria introduced a landfill tax in 1989, which has been set at EUR 29.80 per tonne since 2012. This tax is paid for waste sent to landfills after processing at sorting plants and mechanical-biological treatment plants (although not for ash and other waste from incineration facilities). The current rate is below levels seen in some EU countries, including Belgium and Sweden (Figure 2.7, panel A).
Austria introduced a national landfill ban in 2004 under the Waste Management Act and the Landfill Ordinance for untreated waste. This ban prohibits the landfilling of several waste categories, including separately collected recyclable waste and waste with more than 5% of total organic carbon, with limited exceptions (EEA, 2023[9]). These measures have contributed to Austria’s low level of landfilling of untreated municipal waste (Figure 2.4).
Source: EEA (2024), Overview of landfill taxes on municipal waste used in EU Member States.
While Austria charges a tax for incinerating waste and refuse-derived fuel, the rate is lower than in several neighbouring countries (Figure 2.7, panel B). The rate of the incineration tax on waste and refuse-derived fuel has remained at EUR 8 per tonne since 2012. This is below rates in Denmark and the Netherlands (although higher than in many EU countries). The tax also applies to waste exported for incineration and to resource-derived fuel.
As Austria moves towards a more circular economy, stronger incentives will be needed to boost re-use and recycling of waste: raising incineration taxes can strengthen this shift. Austria has mainly relied on regulatory instruments to reduce landfilling of waste. Further increases in landfill taxes would create stronger price signals to divert waste streams that still go to disposal; moreover, Austria should consider extending the tax to waste streams such as incineration ash.
For waste prevention, Austria has put in place a reduced value added tax (VAT) of 10% for product repairs. This works together with other initiatives, including the repair bonus for electrical and electronic equipment (Section 2.4.4). The results of this reduced VAT have not yet been assessed, however (BMK, 2024[2]).
Austria is adapting its nationwide systems for waste collection and treatment to meet circularity goals
Austria uses door-to-door MSW collection systems, although approaches differ among federal states and municipalities, with less service in many rural areas. Nearly all municipalities collect mixed waste, paper and cardboard waste, plastic waste and bio-waste door-to-door. Municipal collection points are used for other types of waste, such as metals, textiles and bulky waste (EEA, 2025[10]). In 2023, a uniform national requirement for door-to-door collection of plastic and other lightweight packaging waste was introduced, and in 2025 this was extended to metal packaging. Nonetheless, shares of recyclable waste, including food waste and batteries, continue to be discarded in mixed MSW (Sections 2.4.4 and 2.4.5).
Austria has invested in an extensive network of waste treatment facilities (BMLUK, 2025[5]). As of 2023, this network included 324 facilities for pre-treatment (sorting and processing) of MSW, as well as WEEE, wood waste, textiles and other waste streams; 12 waste-to-energy incinerators for MSW and 49 for other waste streams; and 174 anaerobic (biogas) plants for bio-waste, including food waste, as well as 422 aerobic composting facilities, operated by both public and private enterprises (Section 2.5.1).
The move towards a circular economy will require changes in waste management infrastructure. Vienna’s 2025 WMP, for example, identifies a need for further sorting of mixed MSW to separate a greater share of waste materials for recycling rather than incineration (City of Vienna, 2025[11]). In Vienna – and in Austria as a whole – objectives to reduce waste while increasing waste recycling, composting and preparation for re-use are likely to reduce demand for incineration.
Extended producer responsibility could play a larger role
Austria, following EU requirements, has established extended producer responsibility (EPR) programmes for packaging, electrical and electronic equipment, and batteries. Under these programmes, producers (and importers) finance waste collection and treatment, either directly or via membership in a producer responsibility organisation (PRO). In addition, Austria requires EPR for vehicles: this is implemented directly by manufacturers and importers without PROs. An innovative system of co‑ordination offices oversees EPR programmes and PROs, one for packaging and the other for electrical and electronic equipment and batteries. Under new EU legislation, an EPR will also be established for textile waste (Section 2.4.3).
Austria’s strong EPR system could be extended to further support circularity goals. For example, EPR for WEEE could provide financial support for product repair programmes (Section 2.4.4). Austria should also consider EPR requirements for additional waste streams, such as mattresses, a component of textile waste, diapers, furniture and household chemicals.
2.3.2. Regional and local government initiatives should be expanded
There are large differences across Austria’s nine states in terms of municipal waste generation (Figure 2.8). These differences are due to factors such as average household size and income, numbers of secondary homes, and the levels of tourism and commercial enterprises present. For example, non-household sources contribute high shares of MSW in the states of Lower and Upper Austria but much lower shares of MSW in Vienna (BMLUK, 2025[5]). The states, as well as local governments, differ also in the extent of their efforts for the circular economy.
Several states are advancing the circular economy through climate initiatives, as well as their WMPs and WPPs. As one example of state activity in support of the circular economy, the 2024 WMP in Lower Austria includes resource efficiency and product re-use among its goals (Government of Lower Austria, 2024[12]). To advance re-use and repair, the plan targets an annual recovery of 1 000 tonnes of reusable goods. This is supported by expanded infrastructure at waste collection centres, promotion of repair cafés and a dedicated re-use digital platform. The plan also seeks to recover up to 89 kg of recyclable materials per capita from residual waste streams and an additional 14 kg from bulky waste. Awareness raising and improvements to the collection system aim to support these goals. Styria has likewise adopted circular economy objectives in its 2024 WMP. This plan reiterates an overarching vision of achieving a resource-efficient circular economy by 2050, first set out in the state’s 2019 plan. The plan cites three strategic pillars: the waste hierarchy; innovation and technological development; and a climate-neutral and environmentally sound transition to circular systems.
Municipal waste generation in Austrian states, 2021
Source: OECD (2025), Waste Treatment – Regions (dataset).
Among local initiatives, the city of Linz launched a Climate-Neutral Industrial City 2040 plan. The plan promotes transformation towards a climate-neutral and resource-efficient industrial city by 2040, including circular economy principles (City of Linz, 2024[13]). Key measures include re-use of buildings and materials through “circular neighbourhoods”, the use of CO₂-reducing construction methods and materials such as timber, and consideration of lifecycle impacts. In the industrial sector, Linz aims to increase use of secondary raw materials and recyclable products. The initiative also calls for carbon capture and use technologies, especially for steel production in the city, and the integration of industrial waste heat into the local energy system. Public procurement is highlighted as a key tool. The city also supports sustainable consumption through lending and sharing models, and actions to reduce material use. Vienna (which has the status of both a city and a federal state) has set ambitious circular economy targets, described in Box 2.1.
An OECD study has proposed recommendations for circular economy policies in EU cities and regions (OECD, 2025[14]). Several states and cities in Austria already implement key elements, such as establishing dialogues with stakeholders, and promoting industrial and urban symbiosis.
The states and municipalities in Austria have important roles in implementing actions for the circular economy, and further action is needed at these levels, building on good practices in place. Austria already has several forums for information exchange and co‑ordination. For example, a Circular Cities and Regions Roundtable meets four times a year. In addition, the Austrian Association of Cities has a Technical Committee on Waste Management that meets regularly. However, waste management and circularity could be better co‑ordinated to disseminate good practices and encourage further action. One area to consider is developing more detailed data at regional level (and where possible for major urban areas) to guide decision making. Moreover, Austria should explore avenues to further improve co‑ordination among state and local governments, and between them and the federal level.
Vienna’s Smart Climate City Strategy (2022) includes circularity in its goals for sustainable urban development and climate neutrality (City of Vienna, 2022[15]). Green public procurement is highlighted as a tool. Under the strategy, Vienna sets a series of targets and goals, including:
Introduce circular planning and construction throughout the city by 2030.
Reduce material footprint per capita by 30% by 2030, 40% by 2040 and 50% by 2050, compared to the baseline year of 2019 – thus going beyond national target for 2030.
Achieve 100% recycling of non-avoidable waste by 2050.
Reach net zero in terms of climate emissions from waste management by 2040.
Vienna’s WMP and WPP for 2025‑2030 outline 71 waste prevention measures across nine areas of action, including support for re-use initiatives, expansion of repair services, promotion of reusable products and packaging, and prevention of construction and food waste (City of Vienna, 2025[16]). The new plan and programme build on the objectives of the previous ones between 2019‑2024; they note that many previous measures were implemented with positive results.
Vienna’s new Circular Economy Strategy sets out actions to achieve the city’s circular economy goals (City of Vienna, 2025[11]). It creates an implementation and monitoring framework, structured around nine priorities and 33 “levers” that link circularity to everyday consumption, food systems, healthcare, construction and infrastructure. Among other actions, the strategy highlights the planned development of product databases to support indicators of lifecycle and secondary markets.
Overall, Vienna provides a strong example, both within Austria and across Europe, of how cities can formulate and operationalise circular economy goals.
2.3.3. Further policy measures are needed to accelerate use of secondary and bio-based materials
In the CE Strategy’s long-term vision, the consumption of raw materials should be greatly reduced and replaced to the extent possible by secondary raw materials from recycling. Bio-based materials should supply much of the remaining raw material needs. These ambitious goals build on and extend those in Austria’s Raw Materials Master Plan 2030 (Masterplan Rohstoffe). This plan, published in October 2021, aims to significantly reduce reliance on primary raw materials by advancing circular approaches. In so doing, it would support long-term supply security (BMF, 2023[17]).
Achieving EU goals on raw materials will require further action
Austrian policy and actions on raw materials will be shaped by the EU’s 2024 Critical Raw Materials Act. The Act lists more than 30 critical raw materials for the EU economy and sets targets to increase extraction and processing within the EU, including rare earth metals, other metals, phosphorus and graphite. Moreover, the Act identifies 17 strategic raw materials among the critical ones – such as rare earth elements for magnets and battery-grade graphite – and calls for 25% of their consumption in the EU to come from recycling by 2030. This EU legislation thus sets quantitative targets for secondary raw materials, an element lacking in Austria’s policies. The Act will require improving EU recycling facilities to extract these materials and calls for developing strategic projects in each EU Member State. The RESourceEU Action Plan of December 2025 sets key areas for activities. Austria, along with other Member States, participates in the European Critical Raw Materials Board, created to share information, co‑ordinate strategic stocks of raw materials and advise on implementation of the Act.
In one action, Austria is preparing to extract phosphorus, a critical raw material, from sewage sludge. From 2033, all sludge from large wastewater treatment plants should be incinerated and the resulting ash used to the extent possible as fertiliser. This is expected to supply about 40% of national demand for phosphate fertiliser (BMLUK, 2025[5]).
While Austria already recycles a large share of bulk metals such as iron and steel (Section 2.4.4), further efforts will be needed to meet the EU goals, including greater recycling of critical materials such as rare earth metals found in WEEE (Section 2.4.4). The CE Strategy calls for strengthening data on secondary raw materials, and the Task Force for Circular Economy has called for public-private partnerships to manage critical raw materials in the circular economy. Goals for the circular economy and raw materials will also need to be integrated into broader government policies, such as the upcoming industrial strategy (EcoAustria Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, 2025[18]).
The CE Strategy calls for greater use of taxes to create incentives for the circular economy. Austria should introduce resource taxes on virgin raw materials, starting with construction materials. This would provide incentives to reduce consumption of such materials and accelerate the shift towards use of secondary raw materials. Such taxes are in place in several OECD Member countries, including Denmark, Sweden and the United Kingdom (Svatikova, Brown and Börkey, 2025[19]). Moreover, resource taxes could contribute to Austria’s efforts on greening the tax system (Section 1.3.4).
Current bioeconomy initiatives provide a basis for further work
National and EU policies call for the bioeconomy to support circularity efforts. The CE Strategy cites Austria’s 2019 Bioeconomy Strategy, which calls for a shift from fossil-based to bio-based production and consumption (BMNT, 2019[20]). It also calls for using renewable biological resources – such as agricultural and forestry residues, algae and organic waste – to create food, materials and energy. In this way, it reduces dependence on fossil raw materials while promoting the circular economy. At EU level, the Clean Industrial Deal calls for greater use of bio-based materials alongside recycled materials. For its part, the Commission was preparing a Bioeconomy Strategy in 2025 to increase use of biological resources from agriculture and forestry, incorporating circular economy goals.
Austria has taken a range of actions to support work on the bioeconomy and circularity. The federal government’s website for the Bioeconomy Action Plan lists recent and ongoing measures, such as development of standards for recycling wood for construction and funding for sustainable food systems (BMLUK, 2025[21]). Bioeconomy Austria, led by Ecoplus (the business agency of Lower Austria) and supported by the national Forestry Fund, is a related initiative. Its work includes the Austrian Wood Initiative, which promotes timber construction and the Bio-based Circular Economy programme to promote bio-based materials in the chemicals industry. The national web platform “Bioeconomy Austria” links enterprises, research institutes and NGOs, as well as bioeconomy networks in the federal states and at local level. Among its activities, the platform disseminates information on research and other initiatives.
Further efforts should be pursued to use bio-based materials to support circular economy objectives. In doing so, Austria will need to manage trade-offs in terms of agricultural food production. It should also avoid increased pressures on agricultural and forest landscapes, and on biodiversity or ecosystem health. In addition, Austria’s planned monitoring framework for the circular economy should include bioeconomy data, as highlighted in the first Progress Report on the CE Strategy (BMK, 2024[2]).
2.3.4. Government funding is a catalyst
Compared with other EU Member States, Austria has a relatively small government funding gap to meet its circular economy needs. The Commission has estimated that Austria’s investment needs in this area are about EUR 6 billion per year. It notes that national sources provide a total of EUR 5.3 billion, leaving a funding gap of about EUR 0.7 billion (EC, 2025[22]).
Federal funding has supported circular economy investments. In 2024, BMK introduced a funding programme for circular economy under the Environmental Support Act. This programme, which will run to 2027, offers dedicated support to businesses engaged in circular economy activities. It focuses on four key areas: (1) circular product design; (2) sustainable production and recycling of textiles and mattresses; (3) development of recycling facilities for specific material streams; and (4) re-use and repair initiatives. The latter emphasise projects by social enterprises (sozialökonomische Betriebe) that help unemployed workers integrate into the job market by providing them limited-term jobs and skills development. The circular economy programme aims to curb resource use, foster creation of high-quality secondary raw materials and increase product longevity. In this way, it will contribute to Austria’s broader circular economy objectives. In 2024, the federal government provided EUR 41 million under this programme, with additional funding for research to support circular economy goals (Section 2.3.5).
Austria’s Green Finance Agenda (2023) also cites circular economy goals, but concrete implementation is still emerging. While its activities have so far focussed on climate finance (Section 1.3.6), a working group will discuss circularity. Accelerating this work can catalyse private finance for the circular economy.
EU funds have reinforced Austria’s circular economy efforts
Austria has used the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) to support the circular economy. The RRF provided about EUR 127 million from 2022 to 2024 for the repair bonus (Section 2.4.4); these sums were matched by about EUR 124 million of national funds. The RRF also supported the purchase and installation of automated machines that return deposits on beverage containers (Section 2.4.2). Funding approved in October 2025 included further resources for repair programmes and for automated return machines.
Other EU-level funding instruments, such as the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), have supported industry. From 2021 to 2027, Austria has allocated about EUR 180 million for production processes in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) (EC, 2025[23]). Another example of ERDF funding was the INNO.CIRCLE project (2024‑2025), which brought together partners in Austria’s Tyrol State and Italy’s South Tyrol Province to provide training for SMEs to update their products and business models in line with circular principles (Interreg Italy–Austria, 2025[24]). In turn, Austria has supported international initiatives for the circular economy complementing national and EU-funded activities (Box 2.2).
Austria co-launched the Chemical Leasing Programme in 2004 to promote a shift from selling chemical volumes to providing performance-based services (UNIDO, 2025[25]). This built on successful initiatives in the automotive and other sectors (Section 2.5.1). Austria has funded modelling work related to the International Resources Panel, including the materialflows.net website.
Austria co-leads the EU4Green (2022‑2025) programme in the Western Balkans and is involved in the EU4Green Recovery East (2025‑2028): these initiatives include work on resource efficiency and circular economy. In addition, the Jiangsu-Austria Joint R&D & Innovation Programme with the People’s Republic of China, launched in 2023, includes circular economy projects.
Public procurement: A tool to support circular economy
Public procurement is identified in the CE Strategy as a key lever for advancing the circular economy in Austria. The Action Plan for Sustainable Public Procurement, first adopted in 2010 and most recently updated in 2021, calls for implementation of circular procurement. It sets criteria for a range of products and sectors, from paper to civil engineering. It also promotes re-use of products, including furniture and IT equipment, as well as construction materials. Finally, it sets minimum requirements for recycling content of construction materials such as asphalt. These criteria are mandatory for federal government procurement and recommended for use at state and local levels.
In 2025, Austria was preparing further criteria to promote greater circularity in construction. A key challenge will be to integrate circular performance-based criteria into public procurement. It will also be valuable to further promote the purchase of services over equipment, such as via rental agreements, to reduce material demand.
Some regional and local governments have established their own green public procurement initiatives. Notably, Vienna has had an EcoPurchase (OekoKauf) programme since 1998. Its detailed criteria include circularity components, such as for insulation material from renewable sources and interior design materials that are repairable and can be easily disassembled. For office supplies and other uses, recycled paper should be purchased. The city’s 2025 Circular Economy Strategy also calls for avoiding unnecessary purchases and for considering procurement of services rather than goods. It highlights actions taken by the city, such as use of recycled concrete in subway line expansion projects. In addition, the cities of Graz and Linz have signed strategic partnerships with the federal government to implement the national action plan; the state of Lower Austria has issued a roadmap for sustainable procurement aligned with it.
The federal CE Strategy righty calls for further monitoring of how green public procurement strengthens the circular economy: this could identify further areas for action. It appears that circular economy results from sustainable public procurement have only been rarely assessed. A 2014 assessment found that the Vienna EcoPurchase programme had led to a number of benefits, including better resource efficiency. More recently, an impact analysis modelled the expected economic and environmental effects of Austria’s national sustainable public procurement action plan. However, it focussed on reductions in greenhouse gas emissions rather than material and waste outcomes (Klien, Sommer and Weingärtler, 2023[26]).
2.3.5. Support for research and innovation has increased
Austria can further build on its research expertise in the area of waste management to support the circular economy. It also has a strong technology advantage for material recovery, recycling and re-use, and its patents in this area have risen since 2016 (Figure 2.9, panel A). Moreover, the level of Austria’s patents across all areas of waste management, when corrected for employment, compares favourably with other advanced OECD Member countries such as Belgium and Japan (Figure 2.9, panel B).
The CE Strategy underlines the need for research support, and Austria has several programmes in this area. Among federal initiatives, the former RESET2020 Programme included research on sustainable production, consumption and procurement. One of the current flagship instruments is the Austrian Research, Technology and Innovation Circular Economy Initiative. It funds forward-looking research and development projects that support the long-term competitiveness of Austrian industry and contribute to national and EU circular economy strategies, the bioeconomy and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Two calls for proposals were launched: the first in 2021 with a EUR 10 million budget, and the second in 2022 with EUR 12 million.
In 2025, Austria launched the Ressourcenwende 2025 funding programme (April to September 2025). The programme provides EUR 27.5 million for joint research and development projects focussed on the circular economy and sustainable manufacturing. It supports work on new materials; innovative recycling solutions; and smart, data-driven use of resources. It has also established a national web platform as a co‑ordination and dissemination hub for research and technology in circular economy and sustainable production.
Note: Panel A: The revealed technology advantage (RTA) index measures a country’s specialisation in a given technology based on its patenting activity, compared to the global average. For material recovery, recycling and re‑use, the RTA is calculated as the ratio between (i) the share of these technologies in a country’s total patents and (ii) their share in total world patents. An index greater than 1 indicates a relative technological advantage (specialisation) compared to the world average. Data refer to higher-value inventions for which protection has been sought in at least two jurisdictions. Only countries with more than ten patents have been considered.
Source: Eurostat (2025), Patents Related to Recycling and Secondary Raw Materials (dataset); OECD (2025), OECD Environment Statistics (dataset).
Austrian organisations have also participated in EU-funded research projects. One example is SUSTAINair (2021 to 2024), a project led by the Austrian Institute of Technology, which developed methods for the repair, re-use and recycling in the design of lightweight aircraft materials. Another is the CircEUlar project (2022 to 2026), co‑ordinated by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis in Vienna, to model dematerialisation, re-use, maintenance and recycling in key sectors including mobility and buildings.
Several initiatives bring business and research institutions together for collaborative activities. The Competence Centres for Excellent Technologies (COMET) programme funds collaborative research between academia and industry, including on the circular economy. Among its initiatives, K1-MET focuses on resource efficiency and recycling in metallurgy; PCCL advances sustainable polymer materials; and Wood K plus promotes renewable wood-based resources.
The CE Strategy identifies digitalisation as a key area for development. This has included national work on digital product passports, a tool promoted by the EU Ecodesign Regulation. The strategy highlights the role of digitalisation in tracking waste and in facilitating markets for secondary materials, including a platform based in Austria, www.secontrade.com, that works in this area.
A remaining challenge is to ensure that research and innovation results are implemented and contribute to circular economy objectives. Further support is needed for networks and initiatives that establish pilot plants in areas such as advanced recycling methods for critical raw materials. Equally important is maintaining circular economy goals, providing a framework that encourages widespread use of new treatment methods, products and services.
The CE Strategy identifies seven priority sectors. This section reviews recent progress in five: CDW (not including excavated soils), plastics and packaging, textiles, electrical and electronic goods, and biomass. The other sectors are waste management, which is addressed here on a cross-cutting basis, and mobility.
2.4.1. Austria has achieved a high share of waste recovery in the construction sector, but major challenges remain
While Austria has met the EU target for CDW, it sends large amounts to landfill and incineration. In 2023, Austria generated 11.05 million tonnes of mineral CDW, with concrete and asphalt among the largest components. About three-quarters was recycled into new construction aggregates. A further 5% underwent material recovery in cement, concrete and asphalt mixing plants (BMLUK, 2025[5]). Austria thus met the EU’s 2020 target to recover at least 70% of CDW, reflecting strong collection and treatment infrastructure. Nonetheless, as CDW is the country’s largest waste stream, the small shares sent to landfill and incineration represent large volumes.
Regulatory instruments promote recovery, recycling and re-use of building waste, but their results need to be measured more accurately. The Recycled Building Materials Ordinance of 2016 sets CDW requirements. New buildings must include dismantling plans to enable future re-use, and digital material documentation is encouraged to improve traceability. Austria should carry out a pollutant and contaminant survey to track results of this ordinance.
Austrian recycling standards have helped the country recycle and re-use CDW, and these have become models for other countries. The Recycled Building Materials Ordinance and the Recycled Wood Ordinance set “end of waste” standards for key CDW materials, facilitating their designation as products and thus their re-use and recycling. Among the waste streams covered by end-of-waste standards are wood and fire-resistant waste; standards for excavated soil and gypsum are in preparation. These standards have played a key role in facilitating CDW recycling and re-use. In addition, they provide an example for other countries, as well as at the EU level where CDW end-of-waste criteria are being discussed.
Austria has ended the landfilling of several CDW waste streams, such as waste asphalt, banned in January 2024. Two years later, in January 2026, landfilling of most gypsum waste was banned – a requirement that will increase recycling (BMK, 2023[27]). The two bans are expected to significantly increase waste separation and recycling. For example, only one-third of the approximately 100 000 tonnes of gypsum waste generated in 2023 was collected separately, and only about 2 000 tonnes were sent for recycling (Umweltbundesamt, 2025[28]). Alongside the landfill ban, upcoming end-of-waste criteria for gypsum are expected to increase the recycling and re-use of this waste stream.
A further instrument is public procurement. The Federal Sustainable Procurement Action Plan includes criteria for construction and civil engineering that promote CDW recycling and re-use, though as noted in Section 2.3.4, there has been little evaluation of the results of circular public procurement. Government training programmes, such as those under the “Anchoring Circularity in the Building Industry” initiative, target workforce upskilling. New criteria for construction have been prepared for federal government approval. When in force, these are expected to strengthen circularity in this major area of public procurement.
Various local initiatives, for example in Vienna, also encourage circular construction. Amendments to the Vienna Building Code in 2023 further encourage circular construction and CDW re-use, as does the city’s 2024 Renovation and Decarbonisation Ordinance. The city’s Circular Economy Strategy calls for greater use of modular and easily dismantled building components. Meanwhile, its Smart Climate City Strategy calls for re-use of at least 70% of building elements in demolition. Vienna has developed, together with BOKU University, a tool (called ZiFa 1.0) to assess the circularity of building construction plans and has been used in city-led developments. These initiatives demonstrate Vienna’s leading role on circular construction.
To further support high recovery rates, Austria’s national CE Strategy calls for use of modular construction techniques, as well as prioritising building refurbishment and renovation over new construction. The National Energy and Climate Plan includes several circular economy-relevant measures, especially in the buildings sector, where it promotes renovation for energy efficiency (Section 1.2.2). In many cases, developers and local governments continue to prefer new construction over refurbishment, leading to greater resource use. While Vienna’s urban plans call for the preservation of buildings over new construction, the city has a large building stock and few areas for new development. In other parts of Austria, efforts to reduce land take (Section 1.2.4) can support circular economy goals.
While high-value re-use of raw materials remains low, and much CDW is used for low-value products such as aggregates (Stoifl et al., 2023[29]), there are signs of change. Alternatives, such as the use of recycled concrete, are growing. The end-of-waste criteria are expected to facilitate other areas of higher-quality re-use for products (Umweltbundesamt, 2025[28]).
Mainstreaming re-use and scaling up material recovery faces several challenges in Austria as elsewhere in the OECD. Research into methods for higher value-added recycling has been an instrument to address these issues (Box 2.3). The re-use of building components, such as windows and doors, has faced several challenges. These include lack of a second-hand market, as well as new insulation standards that old, single-paned windows do not meet. The CE Strategy underlines the roles of digital tools to track building waste and used products, and facilitate recycling and re-use. The city of Vienna is seeking to address a lack of space to store reusable materials and to use digital tools to track and market second-hand building components. Other OECD Member countries face similar challenges in increasing high-value re-use and recycling of CDW. Austria should consider further steps: notably, the development of new economic instruments such as taxes on aggregates could play an important role in reducing consumption of virgin raw materials, as could the introduction of EPR for key waste and material streams (Section 2.3.3).
The UP!crete project, led by Ecoplus in collaboration with the Technical University of Vienna and industry partners, aims to improve the quality of recycled concrete by enhancing the properties of recycled aggregates. Running from 2023 to 2027 and funded by Austria’s FFG Programme, UP!crete explores methods such as pre-treatment and hybrid bonding to enable higher replacement rates of natural aggregates in structural concrete (Technical University of Vienna, n.d.[30]).
The EPSolutely project (2022 to 2024), co‑ordinated by Fraunhofer Austria with a dozen partners, developed a national system for collecting and tracking polystyrene insulation from construction and demolition sites, as well as polystyrene in packaging waste. The project, financed by the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure, also tested recycling methods (EPSolutely, n.d.[31]).
2.4.2. Recent actions have targeted plastic packaging waste, but most plastic waste is incinerated
Packaging made up about 30% of the 970 000 tonnes of plastic waste generated in 2023 (Table 2.2). Other large fractions included plastic in bulky waste (about 11%), with smaller shares in WEEE, textile waste, waste tyres and from construction (BMK, 2024[2]). Moreover, about 80% of all plastic waste in Austria was sent to incineration with energy recovery, with about 19% recycled or reused.
The deposit-return system is expected to increase recycling of plastic packaging waste
Austria has established EPR for packaging waste under the Waste Management Act and the Packaging Ordinance 2014 (Verpackungsverordnung 2014). EPR extends to post-consumer waste, and the PROs co‑operate with federal states and municipalities on the recovery and recycling of packaging waste in MSW. The seven PROs supporting this EPR have organised public awareness campaigns to encourage recycling of post-consumer packaging materials. For example, a campaign in 2022 reminded households to separate packaging waste: Jeder Wurf zählt! (Every toss counts!); in addition, a countrywide poster campaign in July and August 2024 encouraged separation of plastic packaging (ARA, 2024[32]).
Austria met key targets for recycling of packaging waste ahead of schedule but has since lost momentum. By 2015, Austria had already achieved the EU’s 2025 targets for packaging waste recycling for glass and paper and cardboard (Table 2.4). Recycling levels fell slightly from 2015 for these waste streams (and for plastic packaging waste), due in part to a change in calculation methodology in 2020. Nonetheless, the data indicate a lack of progress since 2015 in addressing packaging waste. Moreover, recycling of plastic packaging in 2023 was significantly below the 2025 target and below the EU average of 42%.
Percentage of waste collected
Note: 2023 values are provisional. Data for aluminium and steel are not available for 2015.
Source: Eurostat (2024), Packaging waste by waste management operations, 2023.
The low rate of recycling for plastic packaging waste can be attributed to several causes. One reason was the lack of a national system of door-to-door separate collection of plastic until 2023 (EEA, 2025[10]). In addition, few sorting plants separated plastic waste (Blasenbauer et al., 2024[33]). Due to its poor performance on plastic packaging, Austria fell just below the EU’s overall packaging waste target for 2025.
The EU’s updated legislation, the 2024 Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, introduces new targets. Member States are required to reduce packaging waste per capita by 5% by 2030, 10% by 2040 and 15% by 2040 (compared to 2018). Moreover, the 2019 EU Directive on Single-Use Plastics (DSUP) requires:
separate collection of 77% of single-use plastic beverage containers by 2025, and 90% by 2029
a minimum content of 25% recycled plastic in PET bottles by 2025, and 30% recycled plastic in all single-use beverage containers by 2030
In January 2025, Austria introduced a deposit-return system (DRS) for disposable bottles and metal cans across the country, organised and operated by a dedicated PRO (Bundeskanzleramt Österreich, 2025[34]). This aimed to play a key role in achieving the targets for plastic packaging waste and plastic beverage containers. A deposit of EUR 0.25 must be paid for all closed beverage containers made of plastic or metal with a capacity of 0.1 to 3 litres, with only some products exempted. The new programme included a public information campaign and also the placement of automated return machines in retailers, with funding support from the EU RFF (Section 2.3.4). In addition, EUR 60 million from the RFF was invested to improve sorting facilities and build new ones (Umweltbundesamt, 2025[28]). Alongside a DRS and the DSUP’s requirement for recycled content, Austria required 25% of plastic and metal beverage containers to be reusable by 2025; this target will rise to 30% by 2030.
In July 2025, the PRO stated that the DRS was working well: out of 880 million disposable beverage containers in the market, 347 million had been returned. According to the PRO, 80% of survey respondents said they were well informed about the system and 75% supported it (Recycling Pfand Österreich, 2025[35]). By the end of 2025, the collection rate had reached 81.5%, exceeding the annual target of 80% and putting the system on a solid trajectory to reach the 90% target by 2027 (Recycling Pfand Österreich, 2026[36]) .
The CE Strategy and the 2023 WMP call for a further step – the “eco-modulation” of EPR fees to incentivise use of recyclable and reduced packaging through lower rates for reusable plastic packaging and packaging containing recycled plastics. The CE Strategy calls for avoiding excessive packaging in retail and substituting conventional plastic with more sustainable materials such as compostable or bio-based options: eco-modulation could create incentives for these steps.
The EU plans to study approaches for eco-modulation of EPR fees. This creates a dilemma for Austria, as it delays national eco-modulation of fees. However, a harmonised, EU approach could be more effective and less costly.
Addressing non-packaging plastics will require long-term action
Plastic is used in a great variety of products, including packaging, electronic goods, automobiles, furniture and construction products. An EEA survey indicates that non-packaging uses comprise about two-thirds of plastic consumption in Germany and Switzerland, countries at a similar economic level as Austria. These non-packaging uses cover many types of plastics that incorporate many chemical additives; moreover, plastics are often components of larger goods: these factors pose challenges for recycling (EEA, 2022[37]).
Several policy tools address plastic waste. Recent national provisions (Section 2.3.1) call on households to separate all plastic waste (except for plastic in bulky waste, WEEE and other waste streams). Austria has also provided funds to sorting and recycling facilities (Section 2.3.4).
EPR requirements in the EU and Austria for WEEE and end-of-life vehicles set overall recovery and recycling requirements but not for specific components, such as plastics. This may not improve recycling, however, due to the variety of plastic materials and additives used. The CE Strategy highlights research in areas such as chemical recycling and design-for-recycling, as well as ecodesign requirements, as tools to improve the circularity of plastics. Under the Ecodesign Regulation, the EU will prepare rules to increase the recycled content and recyclability of electrical and electronic equipment. The impact of these actions will, however, take time.
The European plastic recycling sector faces a series of economic problems, including a growing supply of separately collected plastic waste combined with insufficient demand for EU recycled plastic. As Austria is closely integrated into EU markets, these problems also affect its recycling sector. The upcoming EU Circular Economy Act is intended to address problems in recycling markets and facilitate the use of recycled plastic and other waste streams as secondary raw materials (ECA, 2025[38]). However, if approved the Act will likely take several years to achieve results. Consequently, while Austria has taken important steps, reducing overall plastic waste and increasing its re-use and recycling remain ongoing challenges.
2.4.3. The upcoming introduction of EPR for textiles and textile waste should further increase collection and re-use
Austria’s CE Strategy identifies textiles as a key sector for circular transformation, aligned with the EU’s 2022 Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles. Among its provisions, the strategy calls for textiles sold in the EU to be “long-lived and recyclable, to a great extent made of recycled fibres” by 2030. The strategy also targets the entire textile lifecycle – from sustainable design to re-use and recycling. It calls for reversing overconsumption and the environmental impacts of “fast fashion” (see below) by extending product lifespans, increasing recycling, promoting sustainable business models (e.g. leasing, resale, repair) and boosting transparency along supply chains. Moreover, the CE Strategy calls for enhanced public procurement standards, support for domestic recycling technologies, and use of circular design principles in education and business practices. The CE Strategy suggests that Austria can become a global frontrunner in circular and regenerative textiles.
In 2023, Austria generated approximately 213 000 tonnes of total textile waste (BMLUK, 2025[5]). Used clothing and shoes together made up an estimated 40% of total textile waste. The remainder was made up of household furnishing such as carpets and mattresses (40%); industrial textiles, as well as geotextiles used in outdoor applications (about 15%); and production waste (about 5%). Most textile waste was collected as mixed MSW or as bulky waste, and the great majority of textile waste was sent for incineration or to landfill.
Austria met the EU requirement for textile waste separation by 2025. Austria has had a long-standing system of separate collection of household textile waste – mainly used clothing – via collection points, social enterprises and municipal recycling centres. The volumes collected separately have increased slowly, by about 10% from 2017 to 2023 (Stoifl et al., 2023[29]). Of the 213 000 tonnes of total textile waste, 47 000 tonnes (22%) was separately collected in 2023.
Most of this separately collected fraction of textile waste was recycled or prepared for re-use, mainly outside of the country. As it lacks domestic capacity, Austria exported most of its separately collected textile waste, mainly to Germany (Figure 2.10).
Reducing textile waste and increasing its re-use and recycling remain key challenges that demand greater investment and public awareness. In 2023, about three-quarters of all textile waste went to mixed waste streams. There has been growing government and private action. For example, since 2023, used textiles can be donated at Tchibo retail shops for sorting, preparing for re-use and recycling by social enterprises. However, improved sorting and treatment of textile waste requires further investment (Umweltbundesamt, 2025[28]). More public information campaigns will also be valuable to raise awareness of the need for reducing textile waste; to encourage separation of garments and other textiles that could be reused; and to promote the purchase of second-hand textiles.
Textile recycling is a common challenge across the EU, as textile waste includes a broad range of natural and synthetic materials, which are often blended. New recycling methods are also needed (Umweltbundesamt, 2025[28]). Austria has used research funding as an instrument to address this issue: for example, national funding has supported the StraTex project (2024‑2027), led by the Technical University of Leoben, to collect and automate the sorting of mixed textiles into recyclable and non-recyclable fractions. The LIFE TREATS project, launched in 2023 with EU funding, brings together Austrian organisations and a Swedish producer to develop methods for processing post-consumer textile waste with used wood pulp to create lyocell and viscose fibres.
The EU’s 2024 Ecodesign Regulation will help address the issue of textile recycling. The regulation has identified textiles among the priority sectors where requirements will be developed; furniture and mattresses are also among these sectors. The future ecodesign requirements should provide a basis for greater re-use and recycling across the EU.
Treatment of separately collected textile waste, 2023
Source: BMLUK (2025[5]), Die Bestandsaufnahme der Abfallwirtschaft in Österreich: Statusbericht 2025 für das Referenzjahr 2023.
A global challenge is the trend for “fast fashion” – rapidly discarded clothing – an issue also noted in Austria’s 2023 WMP. With online shopping, this challenge has been amplified: “ultra-fast fashion” is creating waste issues in consumer countries and high resource use in producer countries (Koep-Andrieu and Del Valle, 2025[39]). Moreover, there is a risk that separate textile collection will allow consumers the illusion of “guilt-free consumption” of these large amounts of clothing.
The introduction of EPR can play an important role. In France, an EPR for textiles and footwear has been in place since 2007. Hungary, Latvia and the Netherlands have recently introduced EPR systems for textiles (Brown and Börkey, 2024[40]).
The 2025 amendments to the EU WFD require Member States to establish EPR systems for household textiles, including footwear (although not home furnishings such as carpets and mattresses). The amended EPR states that producers should be responsible for the collection of used and waste textiles and footwear, sorting and recycling; producers should also support research on sorting systems. The amendments, moreover, call for eco-modulation of fees, lowering fees for textile designs that are more durable (to reduce fast fashion), repairable and recyclable: France already does this in its EPR programme (Box 2.4). Furthermore, national EPR systems should support social businesses that work on textile sorting, repair, preparation for re-use, and resale. These steps would strengthen Austria’s social economy.
In developing EPR requirements, Austria can draw on lessons from programmes elsewhere. Belgium, France, the Netherlands and several states in the United States, for example, already have EPR for mattresses (Brown and Börkey, 2024[40]). The federal government held dialogues in 2023 and 2024 with retailers and other enterprises, addressing fast fashion, textile recycling and EPR for textiles (BMK, 2024[2]). As noted in Section 2.5.1, the Climate Lab has established a Mattress Alliance. As Austria sends a high share of waste textiles abroad to prepare for re-use and recycling, its EPR system should be designed in co‑ordination with other Member States. To that end, it will need to trace shipments to ensure proper treatment of the larger volumes of waste.
In France, companies placing textiles and footwear on the market must organise or finance end-of-life management; a single PRO is in place. The system, introduced in 2009, initially supported collecting and sorting. While the French EPR programme had good positive results in terms of recovery and re-use of used garments, it did not meet its collection goals due to a steep increase in the volume of new products on the market. In response, the French EPR was extended to support repairs. In addition, fees were “eco-modulated” to reward textile durability, recycled content and recyclability (Brown and Börkey, 2024[40]; Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2024[41]).
2.4.4. An innovative national programme repairs electrical and electronic equipment
Austria has established EPR for WEEE, as required under EU legislation, but has struggled to reach collection targets. Producers and importers of electrical and electronic equipment must either manage collection and recycling individually or through a PRO. The collection of WEEE has increased since 2014 (Figure 2.11, panel A), reaching 15.8 kg per capita in 2023, higher than the EU average. Of the WEEE collected, 98% came from households. Nonetheless, Austria did not meet the EU’s minimum collection rate, although it did reach the combined target for recycling and preparation for re-use (Figure 2.11, panel B). The collection rate is based on electrical and electronic goods placed on the market in the previous three years. Austria has noted that, with an increase in sale of heavier goods such as photovoltaic panels, reaching this target has become more difficult. Indeed, for this and other reasons, all 27 EU Member States have at least partially missed these targets.
Source: Eurostat (2025), Waste Arising from Separate Collection of WEEE (dataset).
The CE Strategy calls for measures to reduce WEEE and increase recycling, including:
extending product life spans by strengthening EPR and enhancing market surveillance
promoting sustainable consumption and circular business models by encouraging public procurement of durable, repairable and refurbished electronic devices
strengthening the collection and recycling of electrical and electronic devices by expanding return options, and enhancing inspections of waste collectors and cross-border waste shipments to ensure compliance and prevent illegal exports
raising consumer awareness on sustainable consumption and use of electrical and electronic devices by integrating circular design principles and repair knowledge into educational curricula and information campaigns
According to the 2024 Progress report for the CE Strategy, a study on revising legal standards is under way, and the EPR co‑ordination office is financing projects for WEEE prevention and re-use. In addition, the office helps municipalities provide public information about WEEE and also supports school projects.
Austria has notably put in place repair programmes to reduce WEEE. Federal states and local governments have financed repair programmes for several years. For example, Upper Austria and Styria have had such programmes since 2018 and 2019, respectively. Meanwhile, the city of Graz has supported repair cafés with grants since 2017 and subsidised repairs of electrical appliances and accumulators, covering up to EUR 100 or 50% of the invoice amount per item.
A national repair bonus was created in 2022, replacing those state programmes (ETC/CE, 2022[42]). Initially funded with EUR 130 million from the EU RRF, the programme received an additional EUR 124 million in national funding due to strong demand. The programme allows users to apply online for a repair voucher, offering a 50% discount on repair costs. It initially covered up to EUR 200 per repair and up to EUR 30 for cost estimates. Alongside the repair bonus, implementation has included establishment of repair cafés, a proposal for new requirements for computer servers and computing centres, marketing of refurbished devices and the development of a tool for business models. The most repaired items included smartphones, followed by washing machines and dishwashers. Through the national repair bonus, as well as state programmes (which continue to cover other products; Section 2.5.2), Austria has already met some requirements of the EU’s recent Directive on the Repair of Goods (2024/1799), which comes into force in 2026.
The repair bonus programme needs a long-term plan to keep it viable, however. By mid-2024, over 1 million repair vouchers had been used and about 3 900 repair companies participated in the programme. As a result of the rapid uptake and use of available funds, the programme was paused in May 2025. The programme was relaunched in January 2026 as the Device Rescue Bonus (Geräte Retter Prämie), using additional funding from the EU RFF (BMLUK, 2026[43]). The relaunched programme again covers up to 50% of repair costs but reduces the maximum contribution to EUR 130 per repair, and it covers many of the same devices but not smartphones. While the new funding is expected to last several years, a long-term financial basis for the repair bonus is needed.
To address this challenge, Austria could consider financing approaches in other countries. France, for example, uses EPR to finance its repair system. It also sets a fixed repair bonus by type of electrical and electronic good. In 2025, the bonus ranged from EUR 15 for small repairs and up to EUR 60 for large household appliances such as washing machines. Austria should consider this system and slowly reduce the level of the bonus as goods become more repairable in line with EU requirements under the Ecodesign Regulation.
The EU Critical Raw Materials Act notes the importance of WEEE (and portable and other batteries) as a source of secondary materials, including strategic materials. Thus, better collection and recycling of WEEE, including for critical raw materials, will be important as will more advanced systems for sorting and recycling WEEE. Austria could consider a DRS to increase collection of WEEE containing important materials, a step suggested by the Commission (2023[44]); this could also be considered for batteries, both to recuperate materials and to reduce improper disposal leading to fires (Box 2.5).
WEEE containing lithium-ion batteries that have not been properly separated has led to fires. Among the various types of WEEE, the consumption of battery-powered, disposable electronic cigarettes has grown rapidly. Their disposal in mixed municipal waste has added to the risks (Umweltbundesamt, 2025[28]). A ministerial roundtable in September 2025 identified three areas of action: a nationwide information campaign, to be launched in 2026; greater co‑operation on take-back obligations with industry and retailers; and consideration of a take-back return incentive for lithium batteries (BMLUK, 2025[45]). In addition, Austria will ban disposable electronic cigarettes at the end of 2026 (BMF, 2025[46]).
The problem is not limited to Austria: the EU waste management industry has warned of increased fires in related facilities, some of which face difficulties obtaining insurance. It calls for the creation of DRS for lithium-ion batteries, as well as extending the scope of EPR for batteries and WEEE. This could finance improved sorting and fire prevention at waste management facilities (European Waste Management Association, 2025[47]).
The CE Strategy suggests introducing DRS for batteries to increase separate collection and recycling, which would also reduce fire risk in mixed municipal waste facilities. In addition, the 2023 EU Batteries Regulation calls on the European Commission to study, by the end of 2027, the feasibility of DRS for portable batteries. Such measures would reduce fire risks, as well as increase separate collection for critical raw materials. Austria should consider whether to act more quickly, perhaps in concert with other Member States: this would provide a pilot for wider European implementation.
2.4.5. Austria should build on its progress addressing food waste
In 2023, Austria generated approximately 1.18 million tonnes of food waste. Just over half of the total – 54% – came from households. Moreover, about half of the total food waste – 640 000 tonnes – is estimated to be avoidable. This includes edible food discarded by households, opened and poorly preserved food, and excess food (BMK, 2023[27]). Total food waste fell about 4% between 2020 and 2023, with the largest decrease coming from households (16%) (Figure 2.12, panel B). Food waste from other steps in the production and consumption chain also fell, except for manufacturing, which saw a small increase.
The total food waste per capita, 130 kg in 2023, was in line with the estimated EU average (Figure 2.12, panel A). With a relatively small and efficient agricultural sector, Austria produces less food waste per capita from primary production than the EU average and most other EU Member States; Austria’s generation of food waste from restaurants and food services is higher than the EU average and also higher than most other Member States.
Separate collection for household food waste, a national requirement from 2023, has been a key instrument to improve treatment via biogas and composting plants. Before 2023, separate collection of biological waste, including food waste, was mainly carried out via bring points, and food waste made up almost one-fifth of residual MSW (EEA, 2025[10]).
Food waste generation per capita by type of activity
Note: Panel A: definitions vary for the data related to primary production of food (Italy), retail and other distribution of food (Italy and the Netherlands), restaurant and food services (the Netherlands) and total activities by households (Slovak Republic).
Source: Eurostat (2025), Food Waste and Food Waste Prevention (dataset).
Austria has had a long-standing policy goal to reduce avoidable food waste. Austria’s environment ministry launched the “Food is Precious!” (‘Lebensmittel sind kostbar!’) action programme in 2013, in co‑operation with businesses, NGOs and local authorities. The programme aims to reduce food waste by improving supply chains, raising public awareness and undertaking further activities, including research. In 2017, the ministry concluded a voluntary agreement with retailers and other enterprises to transfer still useable food to social organisations and non-profits for distribution. Through these initiatives, the amount of food transferred by retailers tripled from 2013 to 2020 (BMK, 2021[48]). The federal 2017 WPP also set measures to reduce food waste. In addition, in line with Sustainable Development Goal target 12.3, it calls for a 50% reduction in food waste by 2030 from private households and from the food production, processing and trade sectors.
While Austria has redistributed an impressive amount of food, there is still scope for expansion. In its first years, the “Food is Precious” Programme redistributed around 11 000 tonnes of food annually, primarily from retailers to charities, including via the Austrian Food Bank (Österreichisches Ökologie-Institut, 2015[49]). To support redistribution, the government published a guideline to clarify the legal framework for donations. Meanwhile, ECR Austria, an industry association, developed a guide encouraging businesses to collaborate with social organisations. In 2020, retailers redistributed 20 000 tonnes of food to social organisations, and a further 10 000 tonnes was used for animal feed. Nonetheless, this represented less than half of the estimated 70 800 tonnes of avoidable food waste generated by the sector (BMK, 2023[50]).
Austria reinforced its food redistribution initiatives in the 2021 Food Waste Strategy. This strategy calls for all stages of the value chain – from primary production and processing to retail, out-of-home consumption and households – to follow the waste hierarchy, favouring food waste prevention, re-use and recycling (BMK, 2021[48]). Key measures include:
improving co‑ordination, via an interministerial steering group and national co‑ordination body
expanding the Food is Precious! action programme, involving stakeholders from business, civil society and academia
supporting pilot projects, data collection, awareness campaigns, education initiatives and legal frameworks that enable food redistribution and improve shelf-life management
addressing specific challenges like consumer behaviour, overproduction and product standards, and promoting the re-use of surplus food through donations or processing
The Food is Precious! action programme was updated in 2023. The new version of Food is Precious! sets out 60 measures to reduce food waste. These include continuing efforts to re-use unsaleable (past the sale date) but still edible food; increasing amounts for redistribution to social institutions or for animal feed; supporting the hospitality sector, for example, through a “United Against Waste” campaign; and targeting food waste in gastronomy, catering and accommodation.
The updated programmes call for reducing industrial kitchen food waste by 50% by 2030, in collaboration with government, NGOs and academia. Awareness raising has been a key part of the 2021 Strategy and the 2023 Action Programme (Box 2.6). In addition, from 2023, retailers must report on the amounts of food discarded and the amounts donated (BMLUK, 2025[5]).
The 2023 “Food is Precious!” action programme contains several measures to raise awareness:
Encourage smart shopping, proper storage and use of leftovers to reduce food waste, which amounts to approximately 229 000 tonnes.
Provide schools and youth groups with educational kits on food waste.
Promote thematic campaigns, for example, the “Bread is precious! Without rubbish!”, offering specific strategies to reduce bakery product waste.
Among the activities under way is GewissensBISS (Pangs of Conscience). This interactive travelling exhibition was developed by the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, in collaboration with Tafel Österreich and the Natural History Museum Vienna. Launched in 2023, the exhibition aims to raise awareness about food waste among students aged 11 to 17. It combines factual information with interactive experiences to encourage critical reflection on the value of food. In its first year, it reached more than 5 000 students (Universität für Bodenkultur Wien (BOKU), 2025[51]).
Federal states and local governments have also carried out campaigns. In the city of Graz, for example, a targeted campaign launched in 2024 has sought to raise awareness among residents about the value of food waste. It encourages participation in separate collection and explains how composting is a circular process (Holding Graz, 2024[52]).
An evaluation of the 2021 Strategy found that 42 of its 57 measures were fully or largely implemented (Broneder and Stoifl, 2024[53]):
In primary production, progress was made with surplus harvest donations and regional marketing platforms.
Retailers reduced the size of packaging and increased redistribution of unsold food.
Education campaigns and school/youth programme integration were carried out for households.
Take-away boxes were promoted, and variable portion sizes were introduced.
Key challenges remain in implementing post-harvest practices and providing training in the agriculture and food production sectors. The redistribution and processing of surplus edible goods also face hurdles, alongside gaps in staff training regarding handling, storage and distribution of food. Within companies, roles and communication within enterprises on food waste prevention are not yet clearly defined. Meanwhile, limited support and funding hinder planning and food redistribution for private gardens (Broneder and Stoifl, 2024[53]).
Moreover, Stoifl et al. (2023[29]) found that an average of 26 kg of edible food per person per year is still being discarded. The study reports that campaigns have led to only a slight decrease in food waste since 2016. For total food waste, Eurostat data show only about a 4% decline between 2020 and 2022. While lack of public awareness remains an issue, other factors include retail strategies that discount large food packages that are often not fully used, as well as a shift to greater use of ready-made meals (BMK, 2023[27]).
The 2025 amendments to the WFD set a further target for all EU countries to reduce food waste in 2030 (compared to an average for 2021 to 2023) by:
10% in processing and manufacturing
30% in retail and restaurants
30% in households
While Austria has acted on new commitments to reduce food waste, more work is needed to meet the EU’s 2030 targets. The WFD amendments call on EU countries to undertake a range of actions to reduce food waste. Many such actions have already been put in place in Austria, including promotion of food donations; public information campaigns; and involvement of actors across the food chain, such as food banks. Austria has so far mainly relied on public information and on voluntary agreements with the private sector; it will be important to continue tracking results in this area and to consider introducing regulatory instruments. In France, for example, legislation in 2020 requires large retailers, canteens and food industry operators to establish agreements with social organisations to redistribute edible unsold food (Ministères de la Transition Écologique, Aménagement du territoire, Transports, Ville et Logement, 2025[54]). In the longer term, it may be useful to explore an EPR system in this area.
2.5.1. The private sector has a key role
The waste management sector
Austria has a strong waste management sector, with steady growth in employment, value added and investment over the past decade, despite a decline in investment in 2022 and in gross value added in 2023 (Figure 2.13). Most investment in the sector comes from specialised producers. Municipalities organise waste collection and treatment (often working together in associations). Depending on the state and municipality, public entities, municipally owned companies and private companies carry out the services. In total, the waste management sector had about 3 000 companies in 2024, both large and small, with sales of EUR 9.2 billion (WKO, 2025[55]). Other sectors also support the circular economy, including SMEs and social enterprises working on product repair and re-use (Section 2.3.7).
Note: Panel A: employment in full-time equivalent (FTE). Panel B: specialised producers = corporations as specialist and secondary producers by environmental protection activity. Business sector = corporations as ancillary producers by environmental protection activity and NACE Rev. 2 activity (except E37, E38.1, E38.2, E39 and O).
Source: Eurostat (2025), Environmental Protection Investment (dataset); Statistics Austria (2025), Environmental Goods and Services Sector (dataset).
Initiatives have supported industrial symbiosis and new business models such as chemical leasing
Austrian industry uses a high share of waste as material inputs for production – over 8.1 million tonnes in 2023. Notable examples include the use of 2.3 million tonnes of ferrous metal waste for iron and steel production; 2.2 million tonnes of waste paper for paper and cardboard production; and 1.0 million tonnes of wood waste for chipboard and fibreboard production (Umweltbundesamt, 2025[28]). Industry plays an important role in the development of a circular economy. Moreover, the CE Strategy’s vision includes development of high value-added, resource-efficient industry in Austria.
Several initiatives promote industrial symbiosis, and the exchange of materials, energy and water (including by-products) among nearby facilities. The Industrial Symbiosis Hub within the NEFI+ innovation network supports collaboration between industries to enhance resource and energy efficiency. Other projects and initiatives have received international support (Box 2.7).
Initiatives at regional and local level have also promoted industrial symbiosis. Linz’s “Climate-Neutral Industrial City 2040” programme, for example, includes measures on the increased use of secondary raw materials and recyclable products, as well as the integration of industrial waste heat from the city’s steel sector into the local energy system. Another initiative, Ökoprofit, originated in the city of Graz and supports collaborative action between municipalities and companies to reduce waste, energy, raw materials and operational costs. The programme combines workshops, advisory support and certification to drive continuous environmental performance improvement across sectors. The programme is now active across Austria and operates internationally in 19 countries. In Graz, annual savings from participating companies are estimated at around EUR 2 million (Ökoprofit, 2023[56]).
The Energy Integration and Symbiosis for Enhanced Resilience (EISER) project (2025‑2027), led by the Energy Institute at Johannes Kepler University (JKU) in Linz, focuses on advancing energy and resource efficiency in the pulp and paper sector. To that end, it develops methods, processes and technical solutions to strengthen circular process design, water re-use and energy efficiency. The project is co-financed by the EU Clean Energy Transition Partnership and the Austrian e!MISSION (Energy Mission Austria) through the Climate and Energy Fund (Linz, Energieinstitut an der JKU, 2025[57]).
The Energy Institute at JKU Linz Austria also co‑ordinates a Task on Net-zero Industrial Processes in a Circular Economy Framework. This runs from 2025 to 2027 under the Programme for Industrial Energy-Related Technologies and Systems of the International Energy Agency. On industry symbiosis, the initiative focuses on raising awareness, identifying opportunities and promoting collaboration among industrial facilities (IETS, 2025[58]).
In another initiative, BMK and Umweltbundesamt created the Green Chemistry Platform (Plattform Grüne Chemie). The Platform promotes waste prevention, energy efficiency, use of renewable raw materials and use of less hazardous substances in the chemical industry, including via conferences and expert dialogues.
To further develop circularity, Austria should encourage industry efforts to sell services rather than products. Austria has implemented several examples of chemical leasing, where a company sells a service rather than a chemical product. Chemical leasing incentivises the supplier to be more efficient and use fewer chemicals rather than sell larger quantities. For example, the automotive sector cleaned components and prepared surfaces as a service rather than selling solvents. This approach can be an important pathway for circularity, both in industry and other economic sectors.
Promoting greater private sector action
The Circular Economy Forum Austria has been a key business initiative to promote greater private sector action on circularity. Among its activities, the Forum – together with the Vienna University of Technology, the Institute of Management Sciences and Resource Forum Austria – developed a Circular Economy Compass. This online self-assessment tool enables SMEs to implement circular economy practices, calculating a circularity score based on questionnaire responses. It provides real-time visual results, practical guidance and tailored recommendations.
The Climate Lab (Box 2.8) has been a key actor bringing together business and government actors on the circular economy. The Circular Economy Help Desk, established in February 2024 by BMLUK and Umweltbundesamt, serves as the national contact point for circular economy inquiries, offering guidance and facilitating connections among businesses, municipalities, NGOs and other stakeholders.
NGOs have also been active. For example, Circular Futures, launched in 2016, serves as a multi-stakeholder platform and incubator dedicated to accelerating the national transition to a circular economy. Activities include organising roundtables, workshops and events, and developing background papers and information materials. Its website has a dedicated page listing examples of circular economy initiatives by enterprises, NGOs and public bodies across Austria.
The Climate Lab, funded via the federal Climate and Energy Fund, was designated the Austrian Centre for Circular Economy in 2023. Its work on circularity includes knowledge exchange and the creation of business networks. Activities have included an ongoing dialogue with business on textiles, covering topics such as the future EPR for textiles, approaches to improve textile recyclability and durability, and better recycling content. The lab supported the creation of a Mattress Alliance in 2024 with business groups and other stakeholders: this has become a separate organisation that shares good practices among companies along the value chain; provides members with policy, legal and scientific information; and explores development of voluntary EPR for mattresses.
In other work, the Lab has carried out studies on office furniture, looking at re-use initiatives in Denmark, France and the United Kingdom; the use of secondary raw materials in construction; and approaches for recycling wind turbines, among other issues.
Among initiatives at state level, RegioCycle brings together regional departments, municipalities and businesses in Lower Austria in interactive workshops to exchange information and develop circular economy projects. In Styria, the Green Tech Valley cluster for climate and circular solutions links companies with researchers to promote projects and pilot actions. Cluster members have worked on a recycling plant for household batteries and a process for recycling steel-mill dust to recover critical metals. The cluster also published the “Circularity Labs Austria” map of over 25 industrial test labs that firms can use to trial circular processes, such as the Digital Waste Research Centre in Leoben. In Upper Austria, a regional business agency, “Biz-Up”, launched a “Circular Region” initiative in 2022. It brings together companies in the plastics, clean technology and food clusters for regular exchanges on projects and funding calls.
Surveys indicate private sector support for circular economy goals
Enterprises have a high uptake of environmental management standards, indicating a strong basis for circular economy actions. As of December 2025, 286 Austrian organisations were certified under the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS). This makes Austria one of the top three EU Member States for EMAS organisations per population (EC, 2025[59]). In addition, around 2 200 locations in Austria held ISO 14001 certification in 2024.
Business surveys also show a high interest in the circular economy. In a 2022 survey of 229 Austrian industrial firms, about 90% of high-level managers rated circular economy as highly relevant for long-term success (EFS, 2022[60]). Nonetheless, 44% of these businesses had not yet started implementing circular economy activities. A recent study of Austrian enterprises found that market and customer demand were seen as the main drivers of circular economy uptake. Meanwhile, key external barriers included limited public financial support, reverse-logistics challenges and product (re)design constraints (Holly et al., 2023[61]). A 2024 Eurobarometer survey found that, among Austrian SMEs, a comparatively high share of respondents (42%) offer green products or services compared to an EU average of 32% (EC, 2024[62]). Moreover, 74% of Austrian SMEs reported actions to minimise waste (compared to 66% for the EU average). At the same time, 40% of Austrian SMEs had invested at least 1% of their turnover in resource efficiency over the previous two years; this was lower than the 48% reporting this level of investment in a 2021 survey. Further dialogue with the private sector will be valuable in promoting its further action, including greater demand for circular products and services.
2.5.2. Policies have supported the role of social economy in repair and re-use
The CE Strategy highlights the employment benefits that can arise from circular economy policies and the role of social businesses as key players that support social inclusion through employment and training of disadvantaged groups. Several national initiatives link circular economy efforts with job promotion, including the repair bonus programme for electrical and electronic devices (Section 2.4.4). Federal states and cities have also supported social employment initiatives (Box 2.9). Since 2020, Vienna has provided repair vouchers for furniture, clothing and other items not covered by the federal repair bonus. These vouchers can be used at enterprises in the Repair Network Vienna, providing up to EUR 100 or 50% of the invoice per item, as well as up to EUR 55 for cost estimates. In the period covering 2023 to 2027, Vienna allocated EUR 250 000 per year for the repair vouchers (City of Vienna, n.d.[63]).
Federal states have supported social employment for the circular economy. In 2017, for example, the Upper Austria’s environment department in partnership with the state’s waste management association and social employment projects launched the ReVital initiative. It focuses on refurbishing and reselling products through 25 dedicated ReVital shops (Kaineder, 2021[64]). In addition to waste reduction, the project has created jobs for people facing difficulties in the labour market (over 480 positions by 2021).
In Vorarlberg, the Carla ReUse–Dual Qualification in the Circular Economy project is supported by the European Social Fund (European Social Fund, 2025[65]). The project has trained low-skilled individuals and provided work experience in Carla second-hand shops, managed by Caritas, a charity. The initiative supports the re-use of textile waste and WEEE. By March 2024, 69 people had participated in the project, which run from 2023 to 2025.
Policies for the circular economy are expected to create jobs, although EU-wide studies have suggested the overall impact will be fairly small. The circular economy could lead to an increase in EU employment of 2% from 2020 to 2030. These jobs will require training, in particular for low-skilled workers (Trinomics, 2021[66]). A review conducted for Vienna’s labour market policy organisations describes the positive role of recent training programmes, such as the “Social Urban Miner” initiative to train low-skilled workers in building demolition and the re-use and recycling of CDW. The review highlights the Dismantling and Recycling Centre (DRZ) in Vienna, a social enterprise operated by the city’s Adult Education Centres that provides job seekers with training and temporary contracts (Climate Lab, 2025[67]).
The CE Strategy calls for further study of the implications of the circular economy for employment and the need for training. The strategy notes that federal funding for social enterprises, which comes primarily through the Public Employment Service, is not fully aligned with the need to sustain circular business models. This leads to funding volatility and challenges in long-term co‑operation. It thus calls for an analysis of funding needs and development of targeted financing models to strengthen the role of social enterprises in circular value chains. It will be important to carry out this analysis and ensure ongoing and efficient funding for social enterprises working on the circular economy.
2.5.3. Public awareness appears strong, but further consumer action is needed
The CE Strategy highlights public awareness as a key driver for the circular economy. Austria has put in place initiatives to raise public awareness, in areas ranging from packaging waste to food waste (Sections 2.4.2 and 2.4.5). In addition, BMLUK operates a website with consumer information – Bewusst kaufen (“Conscious shopping”) – to promote sustainable consumption and resource-efficient choices. The website provides guidance on circularity, product life extension, repair and re-use on topics such as food and beverages, hygiene and clothing, and electronic devices. It also identifies sustainability labels for products in these areas.
Citizen awareness of the circular economy appears to be high. According to a 2024 Eurobarometer survey, 65% of Austrian respondents indicated that promoting the circular economy is among the most effective ways of tackling environmental problems, a view higher than the EU average of 58% (EC, 2024[68]). The respondents considered plastic to be the most problematic type of waste (55% of replies), followed by chemical waste (39%) and electronic waste (34%). When buying products such as furniture, textiles or electronic devices, 52% of Austrian respondents say they would be willing to pay more for products that are easier to repair, recyclable and/or produced in an environmentally sustainable way, less than the EU average of 59%.
Data on the purchase of used goods, however, are mixed. In a 2022 survey, respondents facing spending constraints indicated they were more likely to buy second-hand goods to save money than respondents without spending constraints (Richter and Khattab, 2025[69]). Moreover, consumption of fast fashion, leading to higher levels of textile waste, has continued unabated in Austria as in other countries (Section 2.4.3). On the other hand, a 2025 survey reported that more than half of Austrians had bought second-hand goods at least once in the past year. Moreover, among age groups, those under 30 years bought second-hand goods most frequently, while those over 60 years bought them least often (The International, 2025[70]). In addition, the repair bonus for electrical and electronic goods has been widely used (Section 2.4.4). The overall picture is not clear, and it appears that consumer actions are only changing slowly, with younger consumers playing a greater role.
As in other countries, consumer views and actions concerning waste management and circular economy will likely vary. One issue is the ongoing disposal of recyclables in mixed waste, including batteries (Box 2.5). Another example is littering, an ongoing problem that is a concern for many residents (Box 2.10).
While Austria has a reputation as a clean and environmentally-aware country (Umweltbundesamt, 2020[71]), an estimated 15 000 tonnes of litter are removed each year by manual cleaning, including municipal work and volunteer actions – the equivalent of the annual MSW generation of a small city. Many inhabitants see litter as a nuisance (Austrian Association of Cities, 2025[72]). Key components of litter include single-use plastics, such as drink cups and plastic bags, as well as cigarette butts. Austrian municipalities spend about EUR 200 million annually to collect waste from public bins and for street cleaning, including litter collection. The Austrian Association of Cities calls for greater awareness and public education, ensuring adequate public bins and emptying them regularly, enforcing fines and providing standardised reusable containers. The city of Graz has pioneered a system where reusable cups for hot beverages are available for a EUR 1 deposit at restaurants and cafés and can be returned to other participating businesses; the system has recently expanded to include ice cream cups and take-away food containers (City of Graz, n.d.[73]).
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← 1. In terms of other treatment methods, the small share of landfilling of MSW (2%) comes mainly from waste after sorting operations and incineration ash.