Treatment of mixed municipal and commercial waste in Austria

The Federal Environment Agency examined the volume flows and capacities of mechanical, mechanical-biological and thermal waste treatment (waste incineration) of mixed municipal and commercial waste and their interactions between 2003 and 2007. The 24 mechanical waste treatment plants had free capacity in 2007. The 17 mechanical biological treatment plants and the nine waste incineration plants were operated at almost full capacity. The collection of volume flows shows that import, export, intermediate storage, recycling and industrial co-incineration are gaining importance. Landfilling, in particular waste from mechanical biological treatment and waste incineration facilities, continues to be an important part of the treatment chain.