As long ago as late 1990, the Swiss Federal Council passed an 'Ordinance on drinks packaging' (since revised) based on environmental law. In the ordinance, minimum recycling targets are clearly set out. For both imported and domestically produced single-use packaging, the ordinance prescribes minimum percentages that have to be recycled. Put simply, if after a given time the proportion of such packaging returned for recycling is not at least 75 percent, the government can demand the introduction of deposits on such items.

But aluminium recycling makes sense not only because of statutory obligations: tests show that by returning scrap aluminium to the production process, energy savings of up to 95 percent are possible. However, it is not the central government itself that ensures adherence to the ordinance. As part of waste disposal legislation, this responsibility has been delegated to the Cantons. In turn, they regulate matters in a number of different ways: in some cases, it is the strategic recycling partnerships that are made responsible for sensible disposal of waste, in other cases it is the local authorities.



Would you like to know more about:

• the ordinance on drinks packaging
  
  
• environmental legislation
  
  
• FOEN's handbooks on the separate collection of various waste products, general waste management and associated funding