Rainer Kistler, Senior Advisor Environment, Health & Safety June Antigonish, Nova Scotia The Swiss Army Knife for Waste Management Zeroing In On Waste

Rainer Kistler, Senior Advisor Environment, Health & Safety Zeroing In On Waste 2 zContext of waste management in Switzerland  Principles  Legislation zTools for managing waste  non-economic  economic zResults zConclusions Agenda

Rainer Kistler, Senior Advisor Environment, Health & Safety Zeroing In On Waste 3 Priciples of Waste Management in Switzerland Environment Limit environmental pollution due to waste Incineration plants: - fluegas scrubbers -flyash and slag treatment Landfills: - strict regulation on construction of landfills -restriction of waste to be deposited (organic content etc.) -rehabilitation of old landfills

Rainer Kistler, Senior Advisor Environment, Health & Safety Zeroing In On Waste 4 Priciples of Waste Management in Switzerland Closed Material Cycles Recover materials, if the impact is smaller than elimination and production of new material Resonsability of the private sector for recovering or elimina- tion of their products (EPR) Technologies must be technically feasible and economically justifiable Separated collection of waste Public - Private Partnerships Agreements and sectoral solutions instead of state regula- tions, if the goal can be reached

Rainer Kistler, Senior Advisor Environment, Health & Safety Zeroing In On Waste 5 Legal Context for Waste Management in Switzerland Disposal fee has to include the whole disposal chain until reuse or final disposal Mission Statement for Waste Management in Switzerland (1986) Disposal fees should be included in retail prices No subventions for waste treatment facilities (private or public) Environmental Protection Law Polluter - pays principle 3RV-E Encouragement of public - private partnerships

Rainer Kistler, Senior Advisor Environment, Health & Safety Zeroing In On Waste 6 Legal Context for Waste Management (cont.) Ordinance on Beverage Container Obligation for Separate Collection of Waste Technical Ordinance on Waste Obligation for Thermal Treatment of Residual Waste Technical Specifications for Waste Treatment Plants Mandatory deposit for reusable packaging in glass, PET etc. Mandatory deposit for disposable packaging in PVC Mandatory prepaid disposal fee for glass containers Obligation for seller of packaging in metal or PET to take all similar packaging back free of charge Minimal recovery rate of 75% for containers in glass, alu and PET Ban for landfilling wastes with organic carbon content > 5 % Obligation to draw up Waste Managemenet Plans

Rainer Kistler, Senior Advisor Environment, Health & Safety Zeroing In On Waste 7 Legal Context for Waste Management (cont.) Ordinance on the Return, the Taking back and the Disposal of Electrical and Electronic Appliances Obligation for customers to return used appliances to point of sale Obligation for sellers to take back all appliances similar to those that are sold at this point of sale Specification of standards for recovery and disposal technologies Obligation for autorisation of recovery and disposal facilities

Rainer Kistler, Senior Advisor Environment, Health & Safety Zeroing In On Waste 8 Non Economic Tools for Waste Management Information Campains Separate Collection of Wastes Action Plans Curbside collection of recyclable materials - Organic waste - Paper & cardboard Collection of recyclable materials at points of sale - Electronic and electric appliances - PET beverage containers Unattended collecting points - Glass containers - Used Oils (mineral & vegetable) Eco-Centers - Hazardous waste - Metals

Rainer Kistler, Senior Advisor Environment, Health & Safety Zeroing In On Waste 9 Economic Tools for Waste Management Prepaid Disposal Fee Deposit Prepaid Recycling Fee Polluter - Pays Principle (Pay-as-you-throw)

Rainer Kistler, Senior Advisor Environment, Health & Safety Zeroing In On Waste 10 Mandatory Instruments in Switzerland  Mandatory deposit (min. 30 cts.) for:  Mandatory prepaid disposal fee for :  all reusable packaging for beverages (Glass, PET etc.)  disposable packaging for beverages in PVC  Batteries and accumulators 3.20$ per kg, included in the retail price  Glass bottles cts. per bottle, depending on the size of the bottle, included in the retail price

Rainer Kistler, Senior Advisor Environment, Health & Safety Zeroing In On Waste 11 Financing System of Battery Recycling in Switzerland

Rainer Kistler, Senior Advisor Environment, Health & Safety Zeroing In On Waste 12 Voluntary Instruments in Switzerland Voluntary Prepaid Recycling Fee for: Aluminium Beverage Cans 3 cts. per can paid by fillers and importers/manufacturers of cans PET Beverage Containers 4 cts. per container sold by members of PRS (PET Recycling Switzerland) Electric and Electronic Appliances according to type of appliance: 1$ Hairdryer, 40$ Fridge Tin Cans 1 ct. per can paid by fillers and importers/manufacturers of cans

Rainer Kistler, Senior Advisor Environment, Health & Safety Zeroing In On Waste 13

Rainer Kistler, Senior Advisor Environment, Health & Safety Zeroing In On Waste 14

Rainer Kistler, Senior Advisor Environment, Health & Safety Zeroing In On Waste 15 Pay-as-you-throw enhances Separation of Waste

Rainer Kistler, Senior Advisor Environment, Health & Safety Zeroing In On Waste 16 Pay-as-you-throw enhances Separation of Waste

Rainer Kistler, Senior Advisor Environment, Health & Safety Zeroing In On Waste 17 Waste Generation is strongly dependent on Taxation Systems

Rainer Kistler, Senior Advisor Environment, Health & Safety Zeroing In On Waste 18 Financial Incentives cannot cause Miracles but..... are a strong instrument to support diversion of waste push customers and producers alike to take responsibility for their behaviour they may have a negative impact on the quality of separate collected waste help municipalities to reduce costs for waste management Introduction should not increase the tax burden

Rainer Kistler, Senior Advisor Environment, Health & Safety Zeroing In On Waste 19 GDP and Waste Generation in Switzerland

Rainer Kistler, Senior Advisor Environment, Health & Safety Zeroing In On Waste 20 Economic Tools a MUST for a succesful Waste Management Strategy Tailored to meet the needs of a specific country/region Combination of voluntary and mandatory instruments Including financial incentives Public-Private Partnerships Easy to use

Rainer Kistler, Senior Advisor Environment, Health & Safety Zeroing In On Waste 21 Questions ?

Rainer Kistler, Senior Advisor Environment, Health & Safety Zeroing In On Waste 22 Polluter - Pays Principle (Pay-as-you-throw) History Introduced by the first swiss municipalities in the 80’ (residential & ICI ) Polluter-pays principle is widly accepted in Switzerland (>80%) Introduced for the first time by all municipalities of a Canton in 1990 Taxation by volume or weight ist now very common for more than 75% of the population of Switzerland Results Taxation by volume/weight sensitises and motivates people Polluter-pays principle enhances waste separation Leads to a significant decrease in waste from housholds to incinerate Separate collection systems have to be optimised (organic waste, paper & cardboard, glass) Littering is a problem with or without taxation of waste, but taxation tends to increase littering