Swiss Recycle
Switzerland
Swiss Recycle is the umbrella organization for Swiss recycling initiatives, including producer responsibility organizations (PROs). It serves as a center of expertise, promoting high-quality recycling, transparency, and sustainable development at all levels.
While Swiss Recycling does not collect or trade recyclables itself, it plays a key role in advancing the circular economy. Its members—recycling organizations active in separate collection across Switzerland—commit to the principles outlined in the Swiss Recycling Charter. These include transparency in material and financial flows, optimized take-back systems, and a strong focus on sustainability.
Through targeted communication efforts, Swiss Recycling raises public awareness about the importance of proper waste separation and recycling. Recycling helps conserve resources, save energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and generate valuable secondary raw materials. Correct waste separation is fundamental to achieving these benefits.
As an independent non-profit organization, Swiss Recycling facilitates knowledge exchange among its members and partners, fostering synergies within the industry. It serves as a trusted point of contact for all matters related to separate collection and recycling in Switzerland.
System Description
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Swiss Recycle: Advancing Circular Economy in Switzerland
Swiss Recycle is the national umbrella organization for recycling systems, supporting high-quality recycling, transparency, and sustainability. It collaborates with seven member organizations managing separate collection systems for materials like glass, PET, aluminum, batteries, and electronic waste.
Switzerland generates one of the highest waste volumes per capita but is also a leader in recycling, with 53% of municipal waste being recycled. Recycling is financed through advance disposal taxes (TSA), voluntary upfront recycling fees (CRA), and the Advance Recycling Fee (ARF) for electronics.
Swiss Recycle promotes Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), ensuring that manufacturers design recyclable products and contribute financially to waste management. By fostering industry collaboration and supporting circular economy principles, Swiss Recycle plays a key role in sustainable resource management.
GOVERNANCE
Swiss Recycle operates as a non-profit association under Swiss law, serving as the umbrella organization for Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs) in Switzerland. It represents eight member organizations that manage the separate collection and recycling of various materials.
Structure & Ownership
Swiss Recycle is owned and governed by its member organizations, which have voting rights and actively oversee recycling operations across Switzerland. These members include:
- Ferro-Recycling – Steel packaging
- Igora – Aluminum packaging
- Inobat – Batteries (state-owned)
- PET-Recycling Schweiz – PET beverage bottles
- RecyPac – Plastic packaging and beverage cartons (founded in 2023)
- SENS eRecycling – Electrical and electronic appliances, lamps
- Swico Recycling – Electrical and electronic appliances
- VetroSwiss – Glass (state-owned)
The recycling organizations are either privately owned (Ferro-Recycling, Igora, PET-Recycling, RecyPac, SENS, Swico) or state-owned (Inobat, VetroSwiss).
Board & Committees
The governance of Swiss Recycle is overseen by a Board of Directors, which consists of:
- Four representatives from member organizations
- A President
Additionally, Swiss Recycle has established specialized committees to address key areas:
- Technical Committees – Focused on recycling standards and industry processes.
- Communication Committees – Responsible for awareness campaigns and public engagement.
- Policy Committees – Working on regulatory frameworks and advocacy efforts.
Code of Conduct & Best Practices
Swiss Recycle adheres to the Charta Best Practice EPR, ensuring transparency, sustainability, and industry-wide compliance in extended producer responsibility (EPR). The document is publicly available: Charta Best Practice EPR (2024).
Public Information & Transparency
Swiss Recycle is committed to transparency, making governance-related information publicly accessible:
- Members & Structure: Swiss Recycle Members
- Board of Directors: Board & Team
Founded in 1992, Swiss Recycle continues to play a key role in shaping Switzerland’s circular economy and sustainable waste management practices.
Communication activities
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Through its various publications, Swiss Recycling disseminates its knowledge and points the way to the future success of recycling.
Ecocenters Analysis 2021
How much does an ecocenter cost? What are the key elements for the most economical management possible? And what is the best form of management?
In its recent analysis of ecocenters, Swiss Recycling asks these key questions in detail. To prepare this dossier, the umbrella organization of the recycling industry in Switzerland collected data on monetary and quantitative flows at various public and private facilities in Switzerland and systematically evaluated them.
Through this analysis, in cooperation with its principals VSMR, AWEL, Igora, Ferro Recycling, SWICO, Sens eRecycling, PET Recycling Switzerland, and its project partner ASIC, Swiss Recycling offers an interesting view of the current recycling industry.
Ecocenters Analysis 2021 (PDF)
Magazine
Swiss Recycling’s magazine informs about news from the Swiss recycling industry and the world of Swiss Recycling. Published once or twice a year, it is sent free of charge to all interested parties. The recipients are municipalities, private waste management companies and people interested in recycling.
Magazine No. 19, The future of the recycling industry in Switzerland, October 2021
Magazine No. 18 Focus digitization, September 2020
Annual Reports
Our annual report and those of our members summarize the achievements and events of the past year. You will also find there the respective turnover figures, reflecting the transparency we aspire to in our industry.
Swiss Recycling Annual Report
Ferro/Igora Activity Report
Inobat Activity Report
PRS Annual Report
SENS/Swico Technical Report (English)
SENS Annual Report
SLRS Annual Report
Swico Annual Report
Glass Annual Report
Prevention
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Swiss Recycling has launched the circular economy platform to actively implement the circular economy in Switzerland. They are developing new solutions with partners across the entire value chain (from manufacturers to retailers to recyclers) so that packaging and products can be kept in the cycle in the best possible way. Swiss Recycling works with partners on various thematic platforms in order to develop concrete, implementation-oriented solutions; from sector to sector. Swiss Recycling takes into account the full range of circular economy methods: 10 REs, from RE-duce to RE-think – holistically, sustainably, and circularly.
Waste Hierarchy
The waste hierarchy is a tool used to establish priorities in waste management. The main stages are: prevention – recycling – disposal. The waste hierarchy is often illustrated with a five-stage pyramid:
Prevention – Reuse – Recycling (material) – Recovery (energy, thermal) – Disposal
Contact
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Swiss Recycling
Head Office
Obstgartenstrasse 28
8006 Zürich
Tel. 044 342 20 00
Suisse Romande Office:
Zl En Budron E 9
1052 Le Mont sur Lausanne
Tel. 021 653 36 91
SWISS
E-mail: info@swissrecycling.ch
Web: https://www.swissrecycling.ch/it/home/