Tyres and litterbugs spread plastic across Switzerland
Some tyre abrasion particles can be removed from the environment via street cleaning and runoff water treatment.
Keystone/Eddy Risch
Each year some 14,000 tonnes of plastic waste end up in the Swiss environment. A federally commissioned analysisExternal link identifies two main culprits: tyre abrasion (around 8,000 tonnes) and littering (around 2,700 tonnes).
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The Federal Office of the Environment (FOEN) has published a new web pageExternal link with information on the main quantities of plastics and material flows in the environment. Ten factsheets address Swiss plastic pollution as it relates to the following areas: tyre abrasion, littering, rivers and lakes, soil, air, oceans, humans and animals, plastic packaging, plastics in biowaste collections, and biodegradable plastics.
“As a next step, the FOEN, together with the industries affected, will propose measures to reduce this pollution,” the office announced on Thursday.
Every year, Switzerland processes a million tonnes of plastic – some of it single-use, some for the long-term. Nearly as much – 780,000 tonnes – is disposed of.
Plastic recycling in Switzerland is generally limited to PET beverage bottles as well as other plastic containers for detergent, shampoo and the like.
High-net-worth individuals prioritise well-being over material possessions
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The priorities of wealthy private individuals have shifted against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions and trade disputes. While spending on luxury goods is declining, demand for travel and experiences is unabated.
Swiss researchers sequence genome of 1918 Spanish flu virus
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Researchers from the Universities of Basel and Zurich (UZH) have sequenced the genome of the Spanish flu virus, thanks to a sample taken from an 18-year-old Swiss boy who died in the city on the Limmat in 1918, when the pandemic spread around the world.
Swiss martyr beatified in Barcelona by Catholic Church
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François-Benjamin May (1870-1909), a member of the Marist Brothers congregation, has been recognised as a 'blessed' by the Catholic Church.
Prevention and tech could help save billions on Swiss healthcare costs, says Deloitte
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By focusing on prevention and technology, it would be possible to reduce Switzerland's healthcare bill by CHF30 billion a year by 2040, according to Deloitte Switzerland.
Environment director warns of increasing climate-related risks in Switzerland
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The director of the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) has warned of increasing climate-related risks in Switzerland in an interview with SonntagsBlick on Sunday.
Gotthard traffic queue hits 11km at start of holiday season
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The start of the summer holidays saw a long traffic jam in front of the Gotthard tunnel on Saturday. Traffic jams between Erstfeld and Göschenen in canton Uri were up to 11 kilometres long early in the morning.
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Plastic bottle recycling gets easier in Switzerland
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The Swiss PET Recycling association set up 3,000 new collection points last year, taking the total number to over 53,000 across the country.
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A deer killed by wildlife services in Arosa, southeast Switzerland, was found to have six kilogrammes of plastic waste in its stomach.
Plastic: How can the Swiss use so much and recycle so little?
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Switzerland consumes three times as much plastic as EU countries, but recycles 30% less. Bans on plastic in the EU and China may change that.
Nestlé remains among top plastic polluters in the world
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The Swiss food giant placed second behind Coca-Cola in an audit of plastic waste by a coalition of environmental organisations.
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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.