A new record for collection was reached in the first half of 2004 - 32.5 kg per head was diverted to household collection containers. The strongest growth was in the provinces of Vorarlberg, Carinthia and Burgenland.

There has been an explosion in the collection of waste paper; ten years after the introduction of the Packaging Directive, which has been supported by regulations for the recycling of packaging made from paper, cardboard, paperboard, and corrugated board, paper recycling has reached an all-time high. In the first half of 2004, Austrians collected 32.5 kg of paper per head, 4.9% higher than the same time last year. The waste paper collected consisted of paper packaging, newspapers, catalogues, and some printer and office paper.

Household collections of waste paper yielded 262.300 tonnes in the first half of this year. The greatest increase in collections occurred in Vorarlberg, Carinthia, and Burgenland: in Vorarlberg quantities collected rose by 7.5% in the first half of 2004, compared to the same time in 2003. In Carinthia the figure was 7.4% and in Burgenland 6.7%.

According to the managing director of ARO Waste Paper Recycling Company m.b.H., Werner Knausz, waste paper is a valuable resource, 100% of which is recycled in Austria‘‘s paper mills. The Austrians are well aware of this and feel that by collecting waste paper they are helping to contribute to a better environment.

Thanks to continuous optimisation it has been possible for the ARO to substantially reduce costs, despite the increased number of collections. From the 1st of January 2005, distributors of paper packaging onto the Austrian market will pay 9% less, within the framework of the ARA system*, for the licensing of paper packaging than in 2004. In 2005, distributors will only pay EUR105 per tonne for the collection and recycling of packaging made from paper, cardboard, paperboard and corrugated cardboard. Transport packaging made from the same materials will be reduced to EUR45 per tonne. Thus the license tariff has fallen for the fifth time in five years. In total, costs have fallen by 48% compared to 2000. Business and consumers will save themselves EUR18m in 2005.

*Altstoff Recycling Austria AG (ARA) organises and finances the collection and recycling of packaging waste throughout Austria