Environment Laws in Austria
- Written by: Editor
- Posted: 2017-10-26
Austria does not have a unitary Environment Law however, business owners are required to observe a collection of laws that regulate issues like waste and water management and the use of chemicals in manufacturing procedures. Our lawyers in Austria highlight the main principles of these laws in this article and can provide you with specialized legal counseling for your company.
Waste and water management laws in Austria
The legal requirements for companies regarding environmental protection and waste control are included in the Austrian Environmental Control Act and in the Environmental Information Act. Corporations and individuals have unrestricted access to environmental information and can pay attention to the way the environmental information legislation is implemented and communicated in each of the provinces in the country. Because Austria is comprised of nine federal states, the scope and enforcement of the environmental protection laws may differ slightly. One of our lawyers in Austria can help you understand the applicable laws.
Waste management is regulated through the Waste Management Act of 2002 and the Act on the rehabilitation of contaminated sites, together with the Rehabilitation and protection laws for contaminated sites. Companies in Austria must observe the different waste disposal laws, applicable to certain types of waste.
Austria observes the EU Water Framework Directive as well as its own internal laws for water protection. Examples include the Water Protection Act of 1959.
Climate and air laws in Austria
Austria imposes a clean-air policy and the Government has established a national climate protection programme, complete with an objective to reduce the emission of greenhouse gasses by 13%.
Companies that produce toxic, highly toxic, or corrosive chemical preparations are required to observe special rules and regulations, including declaring several types of preparations to the Federal Environment Agency within a certain period after the substance was released for circulation.
Companies in Austria are required to obtain special permits and licenses when engaging in some types of activities.
One of our lawyers in Austria can help you obtain these permits and observe the legal requirements for proper chemical, water, or waste management.
You can contact our law firm in Austria for more information on the laws applicable to companies in the country.