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Waste Disposal.

Smart Ways to Handle Waste Disposal.

Over 23,000 students, over 3,500 employees, plus guests and visitors.... While there is space for everyone here at the JKU, it goes without saying that a lot of waste is generated, ranging from paper to everything else that is thrown away. Contrary to the old adage 'out of sight, out of mind', here at the JKU we are taking a very close look from all perspectives. Together with Altstoff Recycling Austria (ARA), we have been thinking about how we can dispose of waste in a more sustainable and environmentally friendly way as we strongly believe sustainability and responsibility are not buzzwords - they are a commitment.


We have compiled information here, as well as information on how we intend to proceed.

Waste Disposal at the JKU

The ABCs of Separating Waste (PDF), opens a file

Why collect trash?

Click here, opens a file to learn more about why.

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The JKU Office of Sustainability

Learn more about ARA , opens an external URL

Waste Separation

The university is large - approximately 364,000 m2 to be exact. Our plan is to introduce a comprehensive, modern waste management concept in buildings as well as in the open spaces. Of course, in order for it to work, we need your help. Together we can support a Circular University at the JKU because honestly, it doesn't often take much. Currently, for example, 70% of all PET bottles in Austria are collected separately. If every Austrian were to collect just one more PET bottle per week, we would have a collection rate of 100% and exceed the European target of 90%. So, let's do it!

Waste Separation at the JKU

Due to safety reasons, the JKU does not dispose of glass indoors. There have been a number of incidences in which shattered glass has posed a hazard, putting employees and cleaning personnel at risk. We kindly ask that you dispose of any accumulated glass on campus, such as disposable glass bottles, on your own. There are two collection points on campus to deposit glass items.

These collection points are located between the Juridicum Bldg. and the Hochschulfond Bldg.,. and between Science Park 1 and 2.

Please break cardboard boxes down and put them in the paper recycling bin. Thank you very much!

Be Cool and Separate Waste Properly


A music video by the "sad gardener" featuring the "Garbage Can Song" shows you how to separate waste correctly. ;-)

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Tips and FAQs

Collecting waste separately on campus will become more simple, efficient, and convenient. Plastic bottles, beverage cartons and cans will be collected together in one container. Automated sorting technology will help to separate the materials by type, which will then be recycled in an environmentally friendly way.

The collected metal packaging will be used as a valuable secondary raw material for new packaging and other products, such as car parts and railroad tracks. The metals separated from plastic bottles and beverage cartons are used for magnets and metal separators. The plastic bottles are then automatically sorted by color and material. The beverage cartons are separated by sensors and blowers and are also recycled separately so that the cardboard part can become cardboard again. This ensures that plastic bottles, beverage cartons, and cans can all be recycled separately.

Separately collecting biodegradable waste is not possible because of hygienic reasons. Collecting biodegradable waste would require using hot water to clean all of the containers on a regular basis (a minimum of once a week), otherwise pests will invade the containers.

At the moment, there are three large containers on campus: at the TNF turf, near the Juridicum Law Library (this container will be moved to the library once the current construction activity ends), and in the outdoor area between Science Park 1 and Science Park 5. You can throw glass items away here.

Did you know that …

 

 

PET Bottles

  • 3 out of 4 PET bottles in Austria are properly disposed of in separate bins and then recycled?
  • PET beverage bottles already contain an average of over 30% PET recyclates and some bottles even contain 100%?
  • the energy value of one kilogram of plastic is roughly equivalent to one liter of heating oil?

Metal Cans

  • recycling aluminum requires only 5% of the energy needed to produce the primary material?
  • the energy saved by recycling a single aluminum can could power a laptop for three hours?

Glass

  • the proportion of waste glass to produce white glass is up to 60%, for colored glass even up to 100%?
  • a single green bottle is enough to dye 500 kgs of white glass green?
  • the energy saved by recycling a single glass bottle can power a laptop for 25 minutes, a color TV for 20 minutes, or a washing machine for ten minutes?

Beverage Cartons

  • beverage cartons consist of 75% renewable raw materials?
  • each kilogram of recycled beverage cartons saves one kilogram of CO2?

Paper Packaging

  • paper fibers can be recycled about 6 times?
  • on average, 6 Austrians share 1 paper collection container?
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Johannes Kepler University Linz

Altenberger Straße 69

4040 Linz, Austria

Telephone +43 732 2468 0
Fax +43 732 2468 4929
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