Away from a linear system and towards a sustainable circular economy: As part of the "Collection 2025" project, over 70 organizations along the entire value chain - from producers, brand owners and retailers to recyclers and disposal companies - are working on a circular economy for plastic packaging and beverage cartons. The aim is to introduce a Switzerland-wide harmonised, cost-effective, eco-efficient and customer-friendly circular economy system for plastic packaging and beverage cartons.
Uniform collection system with hybrid financing
Based on the "Closing the loops for plastic packaging and beverage cartons" pact, which was signed in 2022, the stakeholders have now defined overarching and specific principles for the future system in a Letter of Intent (LoI). The focus here is primarily on standardization.
In order to achieve this standardization, a Switzerland-wide collection bag with identical colours, sizes and messages is to be offered in the future. In addition, a uniform price system for the whole of Switzerland is being examined. This also makes communication with the population clearer and more tangible, and the same information applies in every region.
The financing of the collection and recycling system is solved in a hybrid manner and based on the 3 pillars of bag contributions, contributions from distributors and recyclate revenues. All costs from collection to sorting to recycling are covered. A further development of the financing is possible.
Ambitious recycling quotas defined by 2030
The collection and recycling system is organized by an umbrella organization that ensures the system, compensates for services rendered and is based on a higher-level target system. The target system defines recycling rates of 55% for plastic packaging and 70% for beverage cartons by 2030. This corresponds to the objectives of the EU.
Distributors are held responsible and commit to Design for Recycling by signing the LoI. In principle, high technical standards are pursued in processing and recycling - always with a view to continuous improvement. Great importance is attached to transparency. The individual actors along the value chain are required to report their quantities accordingly, from placing them on the market to recycling them.
Larger quantities are generated through the joint implementation of a nationwide collection. The players in the entire value chain are committed to ensuring that as much of this cycle material as possible can be returned to industry as high-quality recyclate.
