Indicators waste

Municipal solid waste

The steady growth of the population and increasing prosperity are giving rise to ever more wastes that need to be incinerated or recycled. In recent years, the increase has been limited mainly to waste recycled, while the amount of waste incinerated in waste incineration plants (MWI) has remained stable. The associated energy consumption and pollutant emissions from MWI could be reduced substantially in Switzerland by applying high waste management standards and through technical measures. High quantities of waste are particularly problematic because they are associated with high consumption of resources.

Assessment of the state
medium medium
Assessment of the trend
positive positive
Separately collected municipal solid waste 2023: 348 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 2023: 321 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2022: 352 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 2022: 323 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2021: 365 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 2021: 333 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2020: 370 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 2020: 330 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2019: 373 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 2019: 330 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2018: 369 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 2018: 334 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2017: 369 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 2017: 334 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2016: 376 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 2016: 340 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2015: 382 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 2015: 342 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2014: 390 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 2014: 339 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2013: 358 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 2013: 344 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2012: 347 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 2012: 347 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2011: 345 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 2011: 344 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2010: 357 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 2010: 349 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2009: 360 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 2009: 340 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2008: 367 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 2008: 366 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2007: 367 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 2007: 351 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2006: 356 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 2006: 352 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2005: 335 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 2005: 327 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2004: 322 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 2004: 337 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2003: 318 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 2003: 351 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2002: 316 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 2002: 360 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2001: 310 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 2001: 356 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2000: 298 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 2000: 361 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1999: 273 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1999: 363 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1998: 267 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1998: 344 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1997: 256 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1997: 350 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1996: 248 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1996: 352 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1995: 232 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1995: 368 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1994: 219 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1994: 380 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1993: 196 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1993: 400 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1992: 188 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1992: 407 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1991: 182 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1991: 419 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1990: 172 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1990: 431 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1989: 161 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1989: 443 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1988: 151 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1988: 432 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1987: 141 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1987: 422 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1986: 129 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1986: 414 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1985: 122 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1985: 400 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1984: 115 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1984: 397 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1983: 108 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1983: 373 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1982: 102 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1982: 366 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1981: 95 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1981: 364 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1980: 85 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1980: 359 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1979: 80 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1979: 353 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1978: 74 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1978: 333 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1977: 70 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1977: 317 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1976: 63 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1976: 308 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1975: 57 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1975: 298 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1974: 54 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1974: 294 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1973: 52 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1973: 270 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1972: 50 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1972: 262 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1971: 49 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1971: 262 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1970: 48 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled* 1970: 262
* Since 2004 without imported waste

Data for the graph: Excel
Source: MWIs, recycling associations
Separately collected municipal solid waste 2023: 3.14 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 2023: 2.89 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2022: 3.1 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 2022: 2.84 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2021: 3.2 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 2021: 2.93 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2020: 3.22 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 2020: 2.88 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2019: 3.22 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 2019: 2.86 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2018: 3.16 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 2018: 2.86 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2017: 3.15 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 2017: 2.85 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2016: 3.18 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 2016: 2.88 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2015: 3.18 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 2015: 2.85 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2014: 3.22 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 2014: 2.79 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2013: 2.91 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 2013: 2.8 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2012: 2.79 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 2012: 2.79 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2011: 2.75 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 2011: 2.73 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2010: 2.81 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 2010: 2.76 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2009: 2.8 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 2009: 2.66 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2008: 2.82 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 2008: 2.83 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2007: 2.78 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 2007: 2.68 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2006: 2.67 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 2006: 2.66 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2005: 2.5 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 2005: 2.44 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2004: 2.39 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 2004: 2.51 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2003: 2.34 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 2003: 2.58 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2002: 2.31 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 2002: 2.63 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2001: 2.23 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 2001: 2.56 Separately collected municipal solid waste 2000: 2.14 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 2000: 2.59 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1999: 1.83 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 1999: 2.6 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1998: 1.92 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 1998: 2.46 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1997: 1.83 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 1997: 2.5 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1996: 1.77 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 1996: 2.51 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1995: 1.64 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 1995: 2.6 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1994: 1.53 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 1994: 2.66 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1993: 1.37 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 1993: 2.8 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1992: 1.31 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 1992: 2.82 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1991: 1.25 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 1991: 2.88 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1990: 1.17 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 1990: 2.93 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1989: 1.08 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 1989: 2.98 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1988: 1.01 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 1988: 2.88 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1987: 0.93 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 1987: 2.79 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1986: 0.85 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 1986: 2.72 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1985: 0.8 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 1985: 2.61 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1984: 0.75 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 1984: 2.58 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1983: 0.7 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 1983: 2.42 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1982: 0.66 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 1982: 2.37 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1981: 0.61 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 1981: 2.34 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1980: 0.542 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 1980: 2.29 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1979: 0.51 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 1979: 2.24 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1978: 0.47 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 1978: 2.11 Separately collected municipal solid waste 1977: 0.44 Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled 1977: 2

Data for the graph: Excel
Source: MSWIs, recycling associations
Comment

The amount of municipal waste in 2023 was 669 kg per person, which is 10 kg more than in the year 2000. The main cause for this is the increased standard of living, which has led to higher consumption and thus to more waste.The increase in the amount of waste has been largely compensated by an improved recycling rate. The share of wastes disposed of in MWIs has even declined slightly in recent years.

The relatively high amount of waste is today no longer a major environmental burden. It does indicate however that the consumption of resources in Switzerland is still very high. For this reason the status is rated as poor. Since a significant decrease would be desirable, the slight decline in wastes disposed of in MWIs must be considered medium.

International comparison

Because municipal solid waste does not always contain exactly the same types of waste (e.g. fuel substitutes in coal-powered power plants) and the survey methods can vary considerably, it is not always possible to make a direct comparison. However it can be said that in general Switzerland has a relatively high per capita proportion of municipal waste that on the one hand is rooted in the high living standard and on the other hand is made visible by the complete and detailed breakdown of many types of waste.

Method

To calculate the total amount of municipal solid waste, the separately collected waste (paper and cardboard, compostable, bio and fermentable waste, glass packaging, aluminium, PET beverage containers, sheet steel packaging, textiles, batteries and electronic scrap) and the incinerated municipal waste are added together. The quantities are calculated as follows: The private collection agencies responsible for the individual separate collections calculate the quantities and report them to the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN). The FOEN authorises an annual count of beverages and beverage packaging that is carried out by the Swiss Association for environmentally sound beverage containers (SVUG). The figures for biodegradable waste (organic waste, compost, material for anaerobic digestion etc) are based on  annual recorded data. The incinerated municipal waste is quantified on delivery to the municipal incineration plant. Generally a distinction is made between deliveries from the municipal waste collection service and private direct deliveries. Projecting from previous experience the share of municipal solid waste can be calculated as follows: total of municipal waste plus 60% of direct deliveries.

Basis for assessment of the trend
Targeted trend Initial value Final value Variation in % Observed trend Assessment
Decrease Average 2004-2006 Average 2021-2023 -3.84% Decrease positive
Basis: Municipal solid waste incinerated and landfilled per capita*
 
Last updated on: 27.03.2025

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