Vienna Confirms Asbestos in Several City Streets

The City of Vienna confirmed asbestos in several street sections on July 24, 2026, following reports from the environmental NGO Greenpeace.

On July 24, 2026, the City of Vienna's Municipal Department 28 (MA 28) confirmed the presence of asbestos-containing rock material in several street sections, including Anton-Freunschlag-Gasse, Bertégasse, Wernergasse, and Stieglergasse in Liesing, and Rosenhügelstraße. Independent laboratory tests validated findings initially reported by Greenpeace, which identified 40 suspected areas across eleven districts. Wolfgang Ablinger, deputy head of MA 28, announced immediate measures to seal affected areas with asphalt coatings by the end of summer 2026. The city is establishing a register for all public street sections with detected asbestos and has increased material testing for rock material sourced from Lower Austria. Greenpeace has requested federal funding and disposal options from the Chancellor, while Hans-Peter Hutter leads environmental hygiene at MedUni Vienna.