How to increase recycling rates. The case of aluminium packaging in Austria

The recycling of aluminium (Al) packaging as a single fraction is a new obligation within the Circular Economy Package of the EU, with mandatory recycling rates of 50% for 2025 and 60% for 2030. The case study of Al packaging in Austria has been chosen to assess if and what measures need to be taken to achieve these recycling rates and what costs arise from these measures. In particular, the following options of Al recovery, and combinations thereof, have been investigated: bottom ash (BA) treatment; material recovery facilities (MRF) for mixed municipal solid waste; and changes to the selective collection system. The results of the study reveal that the present recycling rate of 55% for A1 packaging in Austria might be improved most significantly by MRF (up to 94%) and advanced BA treatment (up to 72%). Only minor improvements in the recycling rate (+2%) are achievable via a change in the collection system from selective metal to a mixed selective collection (joint collection of metal and lightweight packaging). If the only aim were to increase the recycling rates for Al packaging beyond the future target of 60%, an improvement in the Al recovery rates from BA treatment would be sufficient. With regard to increased recycling quantities of all recyclables, plastics in particular, the implementation of complex systems such as MRF makes sense, even if this results in higher costs for Al recovery (increasing from the current 480 to 640 € t^-1 of recycled Al).