The Swiss continue to be model recyclers, dutifully returning glass, aluminium cans and Pet containers to collection points.
This content was published on
1 minute
swissinfo.ch and agencies
In 2010, 94 per cent of all glass was recycled. The figure was 91 per cent for aluminium cans and 80 per cent for plastic Pet containers, according to the Federal Environment Office.
The total weight of all drinks packaging (glass, aluminium and Pet) sold last year rose slightly from 304,505 to 305,168 tons. Ninety-one per cent of this was recycled, which was down two per cent on the previous year.
Swiss law states that the government can introduce a deposit on Pet packaging if the recycling rate falls below 75 per cent.
Popular Stories
More
Life & Aging
Zurich: how the world capital of housing shortages is tackling the problem
Is your place of origin, your Heimatort, important to you?
Every Swiss citizen has a Heimatort, a place of origin, but many have never visited theirs. What’s your relationship with your Heimatort? What does it mean to you?
In Switzerland more people are being referred to electrical therapies or psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Are there similar approaches where you live?
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Anti-litter initiatives begin to clean up
This content was published on
Switzerland has the reputation as a green and clean alpine nation. But in fact tons of rubbish are tossed carelessly onto the streets annually. Littering is not an environmental issue, said Ion Karagounis of the Swiss Foundation for Practical Environmental Protection at a symposium it organised on the issue in Zurich at the end of…
This content was published on
For a country that has not been to war in its modern history, it comes as a surprise at first to learn that the ground is pumped full of lead – up to 40,000 tons of it. Manuel Schiffmann takes a baseball-size clump of heavy metal from a large bin. The expert for brownfield site…
This content was published on
The Basel Convention, a global treaty signed by 172 countries which regulates international movements of hazardous and toxic wastes, is marking its 20th anniversary on Tuesday. “E-waste did not even exist as a waste stream in 1989 and now it’s one of the largest and growing exponentially,” Katharina Kummer Peiry, executive secretary of the international…
This content was published on
Old computers, telephones and televisions are given a second lease of life in a suburb of the Indian capital, New Delhi. A large part of the e-waste is not however recycled safely. Switzerland supports non-governmental organisations in India like Toxics Link, which seek solutions to better protect workers’ health and the environment. Satish Sinha of…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.