New sustainability initiatives launched in Lower Austria

The first ReVital-Shop has opened in Purgstall, Lower Austria, as part of a collaboration between the Social Business Service (SBS) and the Scheibbs Environmental Protection Association (GVU). The shop focuses on salvaging usable items from waste centers to prevent them from being discarded. In its first month and a half, the project has already saved approximately 1,000 kilograms of goods.

The initiative also serves a social purpose, employing 48 individuals with mental health conditions. The SBS provides professional rehabilitation and support through a multidisciplinary team of social workers, nurses, and therapists. The project is financially supported by the state of Lower Austria and various environmental organizations.

Separately, the family-run funeral business Lichtblick Bestattung, operating in Lower Austria and Vienna, has partnered with MEINE ERDE to introduce ‘Reerdigung’ (human composting) to Austria. This method uses microorganisms to transform a deceased person, placed in a specialized cocoon, into new soil within approximately 40 days. The process follows a model successfully implemented and legally recognized in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.