AREC - Austria Recycling, Verein zur Förderung von Umweltschutz
und Recycling in Österreich
The Organisation
Austria Recycling (AREC) is a private not-for-profit association, founded in 1946 due to the scarcity of raw materials after World War II with the objective to boost the supply of industrial raw material. Since then, AREC has grown considerably and now has approximately eighty members coming from industry, specialised trade enterprises and municipalities. All of them are confronted in their businesses with waste problems, environmental protection, sustainable development and the balance between ecology and economy.
AREC is located in Vienna/Austria and thus close to the NAS - New Associated States of the European Union. AREC's members come from all over Austria, AREC's partners from the east and west of Europe.
The History:
Since the early 1960's, AREC has developed and implemented collection-systems for recyclables, such as used paper and cardboard, glass, metal, plastics and textiles, as well as for biological waste and confidential materials. In the course of its life, AREC has started and developed a number of specialised companies to manage collection and recycling systems in Austria on a nation-wide basis, such as: APR Ltd. for used paper and cardboard, AGR Ltd. for glass, FerroPack Ltd for metals, AFR Ltd. for used nutritive oils and cooking fat.
Most of these companies have been doing their job for decades and have thus proven their competitiveness. It should be noted that this was done on a voluntary basis, i.e. long before legislative pressure was put on the concerned groups.
AREC's activity is built on cooperating with municipalities, industries and citizen. The success of its work based on winning groups and individuals for cooperations in order to improve their quality of life and the environment.
This involves detailed knowledge about consumption patterns and value systems, which vary widely, even on local level. AREC also has specific knowledge in the field of improving and adapting framework conditions and the statistic data base, due to its work with authorities, federal ministries and the austrian standardisation institute.
The Results
The efforts and advances of AREC and its companies were based on concepts and plans, supported by feasibility studies, test and pilot plants and scientific analysis. Over the years, AREC transformed itself into a consultancy, and today is in great demand by local authorities and municipalities as well as by business, trade and industry.
The logical result of this evolution was the outsourcing of the consulting field through the formation of ARECON Ltd. in 1998. ARECON is an independent research and consulting institute specialised in environmental issues, with an emphasis on economically competitive solutions.
AREC provides a platform for discussion and an interface for the specific interests of the collectors and processors at the very centre of the waste disposal, environmental and recycling debate. Contact with public bodies enables AREC to influence the establishment of legal, logistic and technological frameworks.
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