Thoughts on recycling in Switzerland
Let’s continue with the topic of Switzerland. Last month I wrote about learning a new language while I am here. This time, I want to explore what I have learned about recycling since I arrived here. It might shock some of you, but in Switzerland, very little plastic gets recycled. I will explore why that might be a good thing and describe the system of other recyclables. ♻️
Before I start, it is worth mentioning one curiosity. Here it is mandatory to buy canton specific trash bag for household waste. It is a superb way to collect trash tax and encourage people to recycle, as these bags are expensive (20fr for 10x35L). On average, communes using this system have seen a decrease of household waste of around 30%.
Plastic
Two major types of plastics are collected and fully recycled in Switzerland. The first one is PET bottles — drinks bottles made of clear plastic (more info). The second — other bottles made of white plastic, usually containing dairy products, oils, or washing products (more info). In any supermarket, there are collection boxes for these bottles. So, when going shopping, I need to remember to take them with me 🏪.
The rest of the plastic waste — packagings, bags, yogurt cups — is not recyclable whatsoever. I was apprehensive 😧 about the fact at first, but after some research, I changed my mind.
There are plenty of anxiety-inducing videos about plastics from Kurzgesagt, John Oliver, or this one focusing on the unsustainable solution of shipping our trash to China for sorting. Sadly, no matter how you look at it, using plastics for one-time packaging is not sustainable, period. The best thing we can do right now is avoiding plastic-wrapped goods in shops. However, to fully get rid of this problem, new policies need to be introduced. This fact in itself is not a good enough reason not to recycle. However, Switzerland is also leading in the amount of trash burned vs used in landfills 🔥. It means that the plastics I use will transform into electrical energy. Even more important — it will not reach oceans and, in turn, our bodies. After learning all of this, I can accept this temporary solution of throwing plastics into a regular trash bin.
Lastly, recently I found out about ideas to sell specific trash bags for all kinds of plastics. These then would be collected, sorted and recycled, or burned. It might be another good, albeit temporary, solution. However, it should not make us complacent or happy about our plastic problem.
Metal
Metals are way easier to recycle than plastic. In Switzerland, it is easy to find a container in public places for throwing away drink cans (aluminum). More info. However, for tins and jar caps, the right type of container is needed. Sadly my apartment building does not have this kind of container, and in general, I found these quite rare. According to one statistic, on average, Swiss people consume around 20 tin cans per year. It sounds strange for me, as I usually consume more per month (who has time to boil beans anyway 🍛). Luckily, I live not too far from university dorms, and they have this container (I wonder why?). So, now I “illegally” use their container for my metal 🙈. More info.
One more odd thing worth mentioning is aluminum coffee capsules. Curiously, some time ago, Nespresso coffee machines took over Switzerland, and now almost every household uses them ☕️. These machines use specific aluminum capsules. So, now in every supermarket, you can find a collection point for these capsules. More info.
Glass
Glass is highly encouraged to be recycled. There are many bins for glass in public areas. It is also frequently collected from each house (by an electric garbage truck ❤️). I haven’t noticed any differences from other European countries in this regard. The only thing worth mentioning is that only glass should go into the container. That means removing jar caps (metal) or spice bottle covers (plastic). At least we don’t need to remove labels from jars 😌. More info.
Paper
Paper is also collected frequently, either from paper bins or as a box from the front of the building (yes, quite peculiar). The only thing I have learned is that I should remove the adhesive tape and labels from the cardboard boxes if possible. Not very pleasant, but not a big problem for me. It is worth repeating that soiled paper (like oily pizza boxes 🍕) and tissues are not recyclable paper. More info.
Final thoughts
Like in the rest of Europe, many other day-to-day things can be recycled. Light bulbs, batteries, CDs, textiles, oils all have their collection points in Switzerland. Overall, I like the recycling ecosystem that exists here. The country feels much more focused on calculating the ecological and economic benefits of recycling. That is much better than having “recycling” containers where people can throw everything and feel good about doing their part in recycling. Trash is a big problem that we are facing right now, and it won’t be solved by hoping. It needs to be solved by conscious choice by consumers and by strict regulations on the manufacturers. Switzerland is slow with its policies, but its direction gives me hope. ♻️♻️♻️
