Which bins for which rubbish?

Graham Crewe
Jan 8, 2023
1 min read

Updated: Jan 24, 2023

The answer to this question depends not only on which province you are in, but also which city/Bezirk. The best advice is to simply ask your neighbours if you can but realise that they might not really know either. The rules change faster than people adapt to them. For example the rules for plastic recycling changed completely in Salzburg from 1 January 2023.

Bearing the above in mind, we have provided information for some provinces below.

Provincial recycling rules

Vienna/Wien

Since 1 January 2023 all packaging, except paper and glass, should be thrown in the yellow bins and yellow binbags. Vienna has an excellent website with a lot of information about rubbish collection and recycling. It is in German but your browser will translate it, even if the translation sometimes says "Manure phone" and "Crap phone"! https://www.wien.gv.at/umwelt/ma48/beratung/muelltrennung/ This information sheet about the different bins and the locations of recycling centres is in English but it is from 2021 and so is not up-to-date regarding the yellow bins: https://www.wien.gv.at/umwelt/ma48/service/publikationen/pdf/flugblatt-getrennte-sammlung-en.pdf

Carinthia/Kärnten

Klagenfurt

Here's the relevant Klagenfurt webpage:

https://www.klagenfurt.at/.../abfal.../altstoffsammelstellen

Villach

Villacher Saubermacher GmbH & Co KG

+43 4242 582099

https://www.villacher-saubermacher.at/

Salzburg

This answer applies to Stadt Salzburg. Outside the city of Salzburg the recycling rules will be different. The best advice is probably to follow your neighbours, although they might not know either!

Paper and cardboard

Salzburg has to import recycled paper for the paper industry because we don’t recycle enough of it. All used paper and card can be recycled in the red bins including old books (not covered in plastic). Greasy cardboard such as pizza boxes goes in the black bin. Large boxes (longest side more than 1 metre long) should be taken to the recycling centre. See link.

Glass

Bottles are of course recycled in bottle banks. Note that you aren't allowed to recycle glass on Sundays because of the noise it makes.

Plastic and metal

For the yellow bins everything changed in Stadt Salzburg from 1 January 2023. Now, all plastics, from drinks bottles to plastic film and crisps packets, together with metal food tins, drinks cans and foils can be thrown away in the yellow bins and bags. Styrofoam packaging, old plastic toys and larger items still go in the black bin. See link.

Clothing and shoes

You can put clothing into plastic bin bags in those big grey containers that are tucked away in corners on the streets.

Batteries

These should always be removed from devices and disposed of separately. Your local supermarket will almost certainly have a disposal point. Lithium batteries should be separated from others.