| Law Summary | Ordinance On Beverage Containers (814.621) | ||||||||||
| Date Implemented | Passed 1/5/2000; implemented 1/1/2001 | ||||||||||
| Containers Covered | Refillables, and one-way containers that are recycled at levels below 75% by weight. | ||||||||||
| Deposit Amount | No less than CHF 0.30 for refillable containers and non-refillable PVC [1] | ||||||||||
| Beverages Covered | Refillables:
Single-use:
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| Fees and Taxes | Glass bottles: [2]
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| Program Success | Recycling rates, 2017*: [3] Glass: 94% PET: 83% Aluminum: 92% *Note: because these recycling rates are all above 75%, the deposit requirement is not in effect. |
Details
The July 5, 2000 “Ordinance On Beverage Containers” (814.621) repeals the August 22, 1990 ordinance of the same name. It regulates the supply and take-back of beverage containers in Switzerland, and finances glass bottle recycling. It places a mandatory deposit on refillable containers and non-refillable PVC plastic containers, and requires take-back and recycling of one-way and refillable beverage containers by dealers, manufacturers, and importers at their own expense. It requires that a deposit be imposed on non-refillable glass, PET, and aluminum beverage containers if their recycling rates fall below 75% by weight. [4]
According to the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment, The IGORA-Genossenschaft aluminum recycling cooperative levies a prepaid disposal fee on aluminum beverage cans and uses the fees to finance recycling activities. [5]
Footnotes
[1] “Ordinance On Beverage Containers” (814.621). July 5, 2000.
[2] Personal communication from Philipp, Vetroswiss:info@vetroswiss.ch. December 4, 2018
[3] Verwertung von Getränkeverpackungen 2017 (Recycling of Beverage Containers 2017)
[4] “Calculation method for the recycling rate of beverage containers.” Federal Office for the Environment website. November 29, 2018.
[5] “Aluminium packaging.” Federal Office for the Environment website. November 29, 2018.
Bundesamt für Umwelt BAFU https://www.bafu.admin.ch/dam/bafu/en/dokumente/abfall/statistik/statistik-getraenkeverpackungen-2017.pdf.download.pdf/Verwertung%20von%20Getr%C3%A4nkeverpackungen%202017.pdf
Contact
Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN)
Waste and Raw Materials Division
P: 031 322 90 00
Fax.: 031 322 70 54
E: medien@bafu.admin.ch
E: waste@bafu.admin.ch
http://www.bafu.admin.ch
Igora (aluminum recycling)
Verein PRS PET-Recycling
Schweiz
Naglerwiesenstrasse 4
8049 Zürich
P: 044 344 10 80
E: info@prs.ch
VetroSwiss (glass recycling)
ATAG Wirtschaftsorganisationen AG
PO Box 1023
3000 Berne 14
P: 031 380 79 90
E: info@vetroswiss.ch