Climate Relevance of Selected Recycling Processes in Austria

Calculations by the Federal Environment Agency show how much energy and greenhouse gas emissions can be saved if primary raw materials are replaced by waste materials from waste management recycling processes. Greenhouse gas emissions from the production of a tonne of new aluminium products can be reduced by up to 97 % through the use of recovered materials. Compared to primary production, around 85 % of the emissions can be saved for crude steel and copper, around 40 % for green glass and more than 20 % for PET bottles with 30 % recycled content. The energy required for the transport and treatment of the waste materials considered is negligible. The recycling of waste metals collected separately or recovered from different waste streams makes an important contribution to climate protection.