Excavation materials

Soil excavation accounts for the largest share of Austrian waste generation in terms of volume. The report provides an overview of the type, origin and quantity of waste generated as excavation materials in Austria in 2014. In addition, recycling, treatment and disposal routes as well as legal frameworks are described. Excavation means materials resulting from construction activities, such as ground excavation materials or tunnel eruptions. Calculations show that there are between 27.6 million tonnes and 34 million tonnes of soil excavation per year. According to the Federal Waste Management Plan, Status Report 2015, 30.3 million tonnes were reported. Therefore, not all excavation materials are declared as waste. At least 5 million tonnes are not recorded in terms of data. Recommendations on how to fill this gap are decided by the study.