Hazardous wastes recovered
Hazardous waste is waste which, when it is not correctly disposed of, poses an increased risk to the wellbeing of humans and the environment. This risk can be minimized by certain technical and organizational measures. They are specified in the Ordinance on Movements of Waste (OMW) and in the Technical Ordinance on Waste (TOW). The quantitatively most important hazardous wastes are, for example, waste from decontamination processes, filter dust from waste incineration plants, automotive shredder residue from the scrapping of old cars, solvents and road runoff sludges. If the waste cannot be prevented it should be recovered whenever possible. The largest quantity of non-recycled hazardous waste in Switzerland is disposed of via thermal recycling (combustion). During this process, electricity and heat for fuel purposes are produced. Only a small amount is landfilled. Chemical-physical processes can also be used to treat waste.
The indicator is a measure of the extent to which the waste management sector applies the principle that waste should be recycled whenever possible.
good
positive
In 2021, 44% of hazardous waste was recycled in Switzerland. This proportion has increased greatly since 2007 as waste from decontamination processes has been recycled more often. The proportion of hazardous wastes recovered in Switzerland is good when compared to other countries. or this reason the status is rated positive.
Switzerland compares very well with other countries on this measure.
Data source: The raw data for hazardous waste statistics are generated by the web application www.veva-online.ch. Hazardous wastes recovered within Switzerland are entered directly into the database by the waste management entities, while hazardous wastes recovered abroad (export) are recorded by the Federal Office for the Environment FOEN. The export data are based on so-called accompanying shipment papers, which the transport company must give to the customs authorities on crossing the border. The authorities then send the documents back to the FOEN. Method of calculation: The hazardous wastes that accumulate within Switzerland (both inland and export material) are incinerated, landfilled, treated physically or chemically or recovered (recycled). The percentage given here is calculated from the quantity of recovered (recycled) hazardous waste that has been treated within the country or recycled abroad as a proportion of the total quantity of hazardous waste accumulated within Switzerland.
| Targeted trend | Initial value | Final value | Variation in % | Observed trend | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Growth | Average 1992-1994 | Average 2019-2021 | 249.57% | Growth | positive |
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