Linz is situated in the Upper Austria Region. In the mid 1990s, due to a lack of landfill space, the Regional authority decided to proceed with a tender for an additional line to an existing EfW (Energy from Waste) facility. The city of Linz, however, was excluded from this tender process and, following significant recent investment in its own landfill, the City Authority decided that the best approach for waste disposal was to develop its own MBT facility and to landfill the treated residual waste.

Using composting technology developed by Linde as part of an integrated MBT facility, the city landfill is now likely to be operating for a period of some 80 years, rather than the estimated 30 years without the MBT facility. Of the total input, 14 ktpa is source separated biowaste, which goes to agricultural markets for use as compost.

The plant was constructed on the site of an existing biowaste management facility in an industrial area of the city and thus experienced minimal planning and permitting delays, becoming operational within 3 years of project conception.

The plant was financed from the City Authority’s own budget, and a special purpose vehicle (SPV), Linz AG, was formed to manage and operate the facility. As the city is effectively contracting its own waste, there was no perceived risk to the development.