City of Salzburg – Waste Service 2023: sustainable, innovative and indispensable
used the waste separation – new online services as a guide
The people of Salzburg are extremely satisfied with the services provided by the municipal waste service. The average school grade of 1.38 in the “City Index” has been impressive proof of this for many years. “In 2023, the municipal waste service will bring a bundle of innovations with the aim of further increasing the separation rate among the population, producing less waste and thus achieving greater sustainability for Salzburg together,” said Deputy Mayor Bernhard Auinger, “Waste separation is a topic for the future and it is therefore important to me that we make it as easy as possible for people so that each and every one of them can make a contribution to more environmental protection and waste avoidance.”
A look in the “garbage cans” shows that there is room for improvement when it comes to the separation behavior
A state study shows that the average garbage can of a Salzburg resident consists of almost 16% food, 14% organic waste, 8% paper and cardboard, 13% plastic, 12% glass, textiles and metal, 1% electrical appliances and batteries and consists of 35% residual waste. More than 37,000 tons of residual waste are collected and disposed of in the city area every year. Around 50% of residual waste consists of recyclable materials. Organic waste, glass, paper and plastic all end up in the wrong bin too often. At around 20,000 tons a year, this is a quarter of the total amount of waste that can be separated better. The experts from the waste service calculate that better separation of residual waste can bring customers savings of up to 20% on waste fees.
Gathering and separating becomes easier
By 2023, the collection of plastic and metal packaging will be unified. In order to achieve the goals of the EU, the collection with the yellow bag or the yellow bin has now been standardized, making it even easier for the citizens.
Jürgen Wulff-Gegenbaur, head of the waste service, explains: “We are using the introduction of the ‘yellow collection’ to draw attention to the correct way to separate waste. The aim of standardization is to achieve the EU’s goals. For Salzburg residents, this means that from January 1, 2023, in addition to plastic bottles and beverage cartons, all plastic and metal packaging – such as yoghurt pots, plastic bags, tuna cans or chips bags – can be disposed of in the yellow bins and yellow bags.”
So that the bins do not overflow, the municipal waste service empties this. In preparation, the tours of the 5 garbage trucks were adapted to the collection and the previously attached locks were removed from all yellow bins. The professionals from the waste service know that this change in plastic collection is a departure from “old” habits and therefore an information offensive was started in the first few weeks of the year under the motto “We separate even better together!”. The main goal: to explain to all Salzburg residents why and, above all, how waste should be separated better and more efficiently in the city in the future. There are new online tools for separation guidance and help: Link?
New: “Mülli” as a digital waste advisor and online calendar
The new digital waste advisor “Mülli” can be found on the city’s website. Simple diagrams and a playful approach show users which waste goes in which bin or collection aid and gives valuable collection and waste avoidance tips.
With the online waste calendar, which is also new, the collection dates for residual waste, organic waste, plastic bottles and beverage cartons and waste paper can be called up very easily. Everyone can integrate a “personal” waste calendar, export it to common online calendars or export it as a PDF or CSV file. The municipal waste service thus manages its status as a digital and innovative model company. In addition to these two new services, the people of Salzburg can do all the “waste official channels” online.
The offer IS supplemented by a needs calculator, registration and deregistration, the exchange or cleaning of bins and containers, but also special services such as providing and/or putting back the waste containers. With the “Waste Fee Saver” web app, you can save a few euros through your own behavior – especially in times of high inflation. In addition, the waste management fees for 2023 were not increased.
Posters and notices for property managers explain the simple instructions for correct separation of the most important waste fractions. It is also shown exactly what goes in the green organic waste bin, what goes in the red collection bin for paper and cardboard and what goes in the glass bin. How electronic devices and batteries are disposed of correctly and what is new about the “Yellow Collection”.
Too much food and organic waste still ends up in the residual waste. In Salzburg, avoidable food thrown away accounts for a total of 16 percent of residual waste, which is around 27 kilograms per inhabitant and year. The advantages of consistent and correct waste separation are obvious to waste service professionals. It saves money, increases the success of a sustainable circular economy, protects the environment and helps to save unwanted CO2 and thus protect the climate.
The recycled content in (or on) plastic beverage bottles must increase to 25 percent by 2025 and to 30 percent by 2030. From 2025 there will also be a one-way deposit for plastic bottles and beverage cans. According to EU guidelines, at least 50 percent of plastic packaging waste must be recycled by 2025. Currently, only about 25 percent is recycled. With a higher collection volume, better sorting and more use of recycled goods for new products and active support from all Salzburg residents, one is confident that the recycling rates can be increased. Experiences from other countries and regions, where lightweight and metal packaging are already collected together, show that a reduction in residual waste and an increase in recyclable materials in the yellow bag or bin can be expected.
Maxglan recycling center is becoming fit for the future
The new Maxglan recycling center is entering the home stretch. From February, the flagship project will once again be the number one address when it comes to the separate collection and professional disposal of waste in the city. During the changeover and relocation phase in a few weeks, there WILL be closing days. More customers and new legal requirements, the storage and transport of the waste in question make it necessary to expand and improve the infrastructure. The redesign of the covered areas improves the working conditions of the employees and the quality of the stay for the customers. The operating processes are optimized by a new storage and logistics concept. The new traffic routing also increases the number of customers who can use the recycling center at the same time. In addition, a sound-insulating roof underlayer reduces noise development. The noise protection walls along Teisenberggasse will be raised and supplemented. With more than 130,000 customer contacts and 12,000 tons of waste per year, the Maxglan recycling center is one of the most frequented and respected service facilities in the city – and the trend is rising. “Our recycling center team is mastering this transition phase and the difficult conditions that come with it – 50 percent less space – with ease,” says Walter Galehr, waste consultant and responsible for the recycling center. In the spring, the new “recycling yard” is celebrated with a big “garbage festival”.
“For all of us, knowledge is the best way to protect the environment. Because only those who are well informed can separate correctly. Many Salzburg residents are already very aware of the importance of separating waste. Above all, young people and women are real ‘separators’ when it comes to sustainability, avoiding waste and thus climate protection and the environment,” Bernhard Auinger concludes.
The waste service in check:
- Garbage in Salzburg: In 2019, a total of 81,696 tons came together. in 2020 it was 79,184 tons and in 2021 79,789 tons;
- 110 employees and 45 vehicles ensure a clean Salzburg