Setting priorities in plastic waste management - lessons learned from material flow analysis in Austria and Poland

Due to the increasing amounts of plastic waste, the appropriate waste management strategy is of high importance. Based on the conclusions drawn from material flow analyses (MFA) on plastics in Austria (1994 and 2004) and in Poland (2004), priorities in plastic waste management are presented. They concern three major aspects: early recognition of potentially valuable as well as hazardous plastic waste stocks, priorities for collection and treatment of plastic wastes and design of future plastic materials in the view of multiple recycling and final disposal.