Recycling has long been more than just a term, but has now become a general understanding of the intrinsic value of goods. As resources on our planet are finite and raw materials can sometimes only be extracted at high cost, it is important to recycle items as much as possible.
This applies both to rather cheap plastics from PET bottles and to rare earths or other raw materials that are used in old mobile phones or computers.
Recycling starts within your own four walls
Proper waste separation lays the foundation for recycling materials. This creates a circular economy that results in less waste.
Switzerland compares very favourably with other countries. Nevertheless, there are still opportunities to improve recycling in individual areas, as each person generates around 700 kg of waste per year.
Separate waste correctly: It's that simple
Fortunately, it is quite easy to sort the waste into different areas, as this is the only way to achieve the highest possible recycling rate.
You can find out how best to proceed in the following sections:
Organic waste: this waste goes in the organic waste bin
Many kitchen scraps from natural foods are perfect for the organic waste bin. These include coffee grounds, fruit peelings, vegetable waste and baked goods of all kinds.
For example, if a packet of biscuits has been forgotten at the back of the cupboard, open it before you dispose of it. The biscuits belong in the organic waste, while plastics belong in the yellow bin. Cardboard packaging, on the other hand, can be disposed of in the waste paper container.
Plant parts, soil and grass can also be placed in the organic waste bin.
Tip: If you have your own garden, you can also create a compost heap to utilise the organic waste yourself and obtain nutrient-rich soil from it.
Dispose of plastic and aluminium foil separately
Yoghurt pots typically consist of a cup, which is made of plastic, and an aluminium lid. Although both components come to you together, you should dispose of them in separate recycling containers.
The yellow bin is available for plastics used in packaging. The blue bin, on the other hand, is intended for small metals. In addition to nails, screws and pots, yoghurt lids also fall into this category.
As the production of aluminium and other metal products is very energy-intensive, it is all the more important that these raw materials are recycled in the best possible way. For example, you can also dispose of aerosol cans in the blue bin as long as they are completely empty.
The better the pre-sorting works at home, the less effort is required later to recycle plastic, metal and the like. Ultimately, this pays off through lower costs for goods, i.e. de facto also for you as a consumer.
Residual waste for non-recyclable materials
Ideally, the residual waste should be relatively small. Only those items that can no longer be recycled should end up here.
These include, for example
- Old photos
- Multi-component articles that cannot be separated
- Heavily soiled packaging
- Hygiene articles for daily use (but not shower gel or shampoo containers made of plastic)
- Old clothes (that are no longer suitable for a clothing collection)
- Porcelain, ceramic or glass shards
- Cat litter
This list is by no means exhaustive, but should give you an overview of the possible content.
Separate collections as a core element of good recycling
In addition to regular waste separation, separate collections are organised at regular intervals. This enables you to use collection points in your neighbourhood to dispose of certain types of waste.
You can dispose of cardboard, paper or bulky goods. However, there is an additional charge for bulky items, depending on the region. Otherwise, collection is always free of charge, so you can separate your waste very comprehensively.
Use glass containers for recycling
In addition to residual waste and plastic and cardboard packaging, a comparatively large amount of glass also accumulates as packaging waste. You can use glass containers for disposal. However, these are only intended for the disposal of bottles or jars.
Light bulbs, window panes and other types of glass may not be disposed of there, as the glass used has a different melting point.
Also make sure that you put it in the correct glass container. It is particularly important that no coloured glass ends up in the container for flint glass. Just one bottle of green or amber glass can cause 500 bottles of flint glass to become discoloured and therefore no longer be available for the desired use.
Use recycling centres and points of sale
In many areas, whether in ZurichBern or Basel, there are recycling centres nearby. Returning PET bottles to the retailer is particularly useful for recycling.
You can also dispose of old electrical appliances and batteries free of charge at points of sale. Hazardous waste, on the other hand, can be disposed of at the relevant hazardous waste collection centre. In Zurich, you can use the app "Clean Zurich", which you can use free of charge.
Assign tasks to a cleaner
You don't have the time to dispose of the waste yourself and take it to the collection point? These and many other activities around the Cleaning and disposal you can easily connect to a Transfer cleaner. So get in touch with Suuber to quickly and easily create a Book a cleaning lady.
