BERN, SWITZERLAND – Three billion containers for drinks are sold every year in Switzerland, about 360 per person.
Last year the Swiss recycled 93 percent of these for all beverage containers, one prcentage point more than in 2011 – 96 percent for glass, 81 percent for PET plastic containers and 92 percent for aluminum cans.
Recycling centres nationwide processed 309,000 tons of containers in 2012.
The volume of recycled drinks containers was down, mainly because many of the one-use containers, such as water bottles, are now made of lighter plastic.
The number of aluminum cans sold rose by 11 percent, says the Federal Environment Office, which published the fiures 3 September. The reason is more people are drinking energy drinks and more beer, sold in cans, is being imported.
The overall percentage of containers recycled is relatively high, but littering remains a problem, with drinks containers that are left on the ground accounting for 17 percent of all rubbish. The cost of cleaning them up comes to CHF50.6 million a year.