Waste Management:
Target and performance

We have established a policy on waste for production sites aligned with ESRS definitions, focusing on circularity in our production. We established consistent waste and scrap monitoring for all production sites.

We have implemented various measures for waste management, ranging from the close monitoring of waste flows to the careful separation of recyclable materials.

They all have one goal: to increase the proportion of recycled waste and avoid landfill, which is supported at the EU level and aligns with EU directives on waste.

Harmonized reporting standards helped to identify further opportunities for waste reduction and the transition to a circular economy.  

Wiener Neudorf, Austria: Waste management system

The comprehensive waste management system introduced by wienerberger in Austria is a case in point. We have already achieved substantial progress with targeted measures such as waste sorting. As part of these efforts, we must change existing processes and adapt to new systems, which can sometimes be challenging and require much dedication. We therefore provide our staff with ongoing training. It’s essential to get everyone up to speed on waste management. As a result, we achieved a 5.6% reduction in the waste ratio between 2023 and 2024. 

The improved sorting in every location requires constant attention and training. Good cooperation with the waste management team who can support this process and reuse sorted materials is important.

Reusing production waste, especially for concrete products, requires specialized equipment (grinders), which is not yet available at all locations.

The 0.7% reduction of waste in our own production in 2024 was a first step towards our target of a total reduction of 15% by 2026. Due to the newly implemented policy, processes and trainings, we expect the reduction rate to increase continuously in the coming years.

We plan further improvement measures for 2025 – promoting proper waste segregation to increase recycling rates and reusing waste as secondary material. The success of such piloting projects like Wiener Neudorf in Austria motivates us to intensify our efforts and launch similar projects in other regions.

Starting in 2025, we are launching our next pilot projects across locations in North America and Europe, introducing “Zero Waste Ambassadors” who will support achieving our waste management goals at their respective locations.