Waste in Switzerland
In Switzerland, each resident produces nearly 700 kg of waste per year – more than double the amount in 1970! Of this waste, 333 kg cannot be recycled. It is therefore incinerated, producing air pollutants and non-combustible residues (clinker) which must be landfilled (source: Federal Office for the Environment, 2022).
The other half, amounting to around 365 kg, is sorted and then recycled – that is, processed to create new items (source: Federal Office for the Environment, 2022). However, this cycle is not infinite and requires a significant amount of infrastructure as well as energy, particularly in terms of transport and recycling processes.
The cost of this waste recovery and management is enormous; it amounts to approximately:
However, behind these figures lies a level of resource wastage that is still far too high. Nearly a third of household waste in Switzerland is still organic, even though it could be put to other uses (City of Morges, 2025). Every year, around 30 per cent of food purchased ends up in the bin, not to mention the losses that occur further up the food chain, during production or transport (Swissveg).
Added to this are other, less obvious but equally worrying forms of waste: hundreds of thousands of tonnes of plastic are disposed of every year, often after less than a month’s use (Jacque, 2020). In the fashion industry, around 40 per cent of clothes purchased are never worn in some countries (World Bank, 2023).
But this visible waste is actually only part of the picture. Behind every product lies a considerable amount of ‘invisible’ waste, generated throughout its life cycle: from the extraction of raw materials through to manufacturing, transport and distribution. According to the WWF (2024), if the entire human population consumed at the same rate as the average Swiss resident, we would need the equivalent of 2.5 Earths to meet our needs.
It is therefore urgent and essential that we rethink the way we consume, in particular by reducing our waste and adopting a more sustainable lifestyle. Each and every one of us has a role to play in conserving resources and reducing our ecological footprint.
The Zero Waste principle
The Zero Waste principle offers food for thought on our consumption habits and a roadmap for reducing our waste and minimising our ecological footprint. This principle, popularised by Béa Johnson, comprises five steps (the 5Rs) that each of us can follow in our daily lives to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle.
The aim is not to deprive ourselves, but to take responsibility, to question all our current habits and to consume sensibly.
Refuse
what we do not need
Reduce
what we need and cannot do without
Reuse
what we consume and cannot refuse or reduce
Rot
the rest
Recycle
what we cannot refuse, reduce or reuse
For more information on the 5R principle, please see our PDF document (comming soon).
This principle applies at an individual level, but also on a larger scale, such as in businesses, schools or local authorities.
Benefits of Zero Waste
Adopting a zero-waste lifestyle offers numerous benefits, such as a reduced ecological footprint, financial savings, health benefits and the conservation of natural resources.
Would you like to get started with Zero Waste? ZeroWaste Switzerland offers services for businesses, schools and local authorities, as well as for individuals and organisations. Take a look at our ‘Taking action’ and ‘Our tools’ sections, and please don’t hesitate to get in touch!
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