VIENNA (PK) – NEOS has criticized the amendment of the Waste Management Act (AWG) for the circular economy package passed at the end of 2021, in addition to some positive changes, as some “impractical measures with additional bureaucratic effort”. Initiative proposal (3894/A). This applies in particular to mandatory transfer of wastes with a gross weight of more than ten tonnes to rail or other means of transport with equivalent or less polluting potential. From January 1, 2023, this restriction will apply to traffic above 300 km. As on January 1, 2024, the distance criterion has been reduced to 200 km, from January 1, 2026 to 100 km. done.
After the rule's first year in effect, industry representatives complained that only a fraction of the waste transported under it could actually be transported by rail, according to NEOS, because there was insufficient capacity. In addition, the regulation would put secondary raw materials at a systematic disadvantage compared to primary raw materials, since the latter can be continuously transported using freely chosen modes of transport. This is contrary to the idea of an effective circular economy.
For NEOS, the distance criterion in AWG should be initially left at 300 km, and further adjustments should be reassessed in line with the creation of an infrastructure designed for this purpose. (End) Knowledge
