Waste management plan – Preparation

General information

For plants or facilities where waste is produced in the course of operation, owners must, under certain conditions, draw up a waste management plan (Abfallwirtschaftskonzept). The waste management plan has to be updated at regular intervals (at least every seven years).

Tip

On the pages of the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology the guidance on waste management plan is available for download. For more information, please contact the relevant specialist department of the Office of the Provincial Government or the Economic Chamber ( Wirtschaftskammer) of the relevant Federal Province.

A valid environmental statement of an enterprise participating in the European Eco Management and Audit Scheme EMAS is accepted as waste management plan. In this case no separate waste management plan needs to be presented. Also, the updated environmental statement is accepted as update of a waste management plan.

Enterprises affected

Owners of plants or facilities in the course of whose operation waste accrues (under certain conditions)

Caution

In general these regulations also apply to business owners from other countries, e.g. EU Member States who operate plants of facilities in Austria.

Requirements

A waste management plan has to be prepared:

  • At operating facilities with more than 20 employees (this rule is mandatory, irrespective of the permit (Betriebsanlagengenehmigung)
  • Upon the establishment and the taking into operation of facilities and in the case of a significant modification of facilities such as, for example, in the case of application for a permit.

Deadlines

The waste management plan must be available within twelve months following the employment of the 21st worker. If the waste management plan is prepared in the framework of the application for a permit, it has to be enclosed with the application for authorization as part of the application documents.

Competent authority

The waste management authority which is locally in charge of the site:

Procedure

Upon request, the waste management plan must be presented to the competent body.

Please note

If the waste management plan is incomplete, the competent body will, by notice, request its improvement.

Required documents

The waste management plan to be filed has to include the following:

  • General information about the line of business, purpose and parts of the facilities, e.g.
    • Operator of the facilities (company, name and headquarters of the enterprise)
    • Information on corporate sites and facilities – list of all parts of the facilities (e.g. kitchen, offices, storage rooms)
    • Where available: Indication of the identification numbers (Global Location Numbers – GLN) of the operator of the facilities and of the sites according to the Abfallwirtschaftsgesetz 2002 (AWG 2002)
    • Purpose and line of business of the operating facilities
    • Number of employees
    • Information on the waste manager (Abfallbeauftragter)
    • Information on the person in charge of the waste management plan
  • Process-related presentation, for example
    • Explanation of the procedures and processes of relevance to internal waste management
    • Description of the dependence of the quantities of waste residues from the quantities, types and qualities of the materials used
    • Measures for waste prevention and recovery
  • Explanation concerning the waste, for example
    • Description of the wastes accruing, including their types, quantities and whereabouts
    • Waste logistics
  • Description of the organizational measures taken to ensure compliance with the legal provisions
  • Assessment of the development of waste streams in the future

Costs and fees

No tariffs or duties have to be paid.

Further information

The waste management plan has to be updated at regular intervals:

  • In the event of significant change to the facilities that are of relevance to the waste
  • For operating plants or facilities approved under the Industrial Code (Gewerbeordnung): In the event of a change which is subject to approval
  • Generally at least every seven years

Related Links

Legal bases

Last update: 17 January 2024

Responsible for the content: Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology

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