Switzerland collects 22% more plastic
As the latest VSPR monitoring on plastic collections in Switzerland shows, the plastic collectors affiliated to the system have increased their volumes markedly by 22%. The cantons of Uri, Appenzell AR and Schaffhausen are the most diligent.
In 2020, 7,219 tons of plastic were collected, compared to 1,306 tons less (5,913 tons) in the previous year. This is shown by the 2. VSPR monitoring published by the Swiss Plastic Recyclers Association (VSPR). 93.5% of the amount collected in 2020 were target items, i.e. bottles, cups, trays and films, the VSPR writes. 6.5% were non-target items, according to the data, which include materials such as PET beverage bottles, metals, paper and cardboard, as well as disruptive materials such as batteries and electrical appliances. The non-target items were also recycled as far as possible. 3,663 tons of the collected material were returned to the cycle in the form of products. The remainder was recycled for energy in cement plants and a small proportion in waste incineration plants.
410 Communities with collection bag
Household plastics are already being collected with the labeled collection bag in 410 Swiss municipalities, with growing success, according to the VSPR. The cantons of Thurgau and Bern lead the way with 51 municipalities each, followed by the canton of Zurich with 50 municipalities and the canton of St. Gallen with 41 municipalities, it said. The cantons of Uri, Appenzell Ausserrhoden and Schaffhausen collect the most plastic per inhabitant, according to the latest VSPR monitoring. In absolute terms, the cantons of Aargau, Zurich and St. Gallen dominate, collecting the most tons (cf. detailed figures from the VSPR monitoring www.plasticrecycler.ch/monitoring/).
Rigorous measurement system is important
Plastic collections are ecological, provided the collection points submit to the framework conditions of the VSPR monitoring or a comparably equally strict measurement system, as the VSPR emphasizes. The cantons of Zurich and Solothurn, for example, have been recommending this to their municipalities since this spring. The VSPR's goal, it says, is to anchor these guidelines in a law on household plastic recycling in the long term in order to secure the collection of household plastics in Switzerland in a sustainable ecological manner.
The event "Verwert-Bar" will be held for the fourth time on November 18, 2021, organized by the VSPR together with the Foundation 3FO and the Swiss Association for Environmental Technology (SVUT). Participation "on site" and "online" should be possible.
