Geneva has just announced that waste sorting will now be compulsory for everyone. Individuals, local authorities, businesses: everyone is concerned. The aim is to reduce incinerable waste by 25% by 2025.
While most cantons are still relying on the “bag tax” to reduce incinerable waste, some communes are tackling what goes into the household garbage can, in order to reduce its capacity. There are several ways of doing this: limiting waste, for example by banning single-use packaging, encouraging people to sort more and better, or adapting their consumption patterns. There are plenty of tricks up our sleeve, but changing our habits is not always easy.
In Switzerland, there are two main models: the “taxe au sac”, which aims to encourage sorting through the cost of the bags, and the “obligation du tri”, recently adopted by the canton of Geneva. As a guideline for these actions, eleven stakeholders (politicians, municipalities, authorities, etc.) have drawn up 11 guiding principles for waste and resource management in Switzerland up to 2030.
Some of these principles are of particular interest in the context of organic waste.
Guideline 3: Waste production is avoided wherever possible.
Of course, what could be better than recycling? Avoid waste, of course. And in view of this principle, there are certain types of waste that will always remain: organic waste. Although they can be reused for a variety of purposes, there will always be some left over that need to be upgraded. As far as packaging is concerned, please refer to our article “How to avoid food packaging”. (article coming soon)
Guideline 5: Producers, consumers and other stakeholders are responsible for the environmental impacts of products throughout their life cycle.
Increasingly, manufacturers are looking at the product life cycle right from the design stage. After many years of programmed obsolescence and over-consumption, consumers are looking above all for products that guarantee them a long life. klode customers often ask: how can I recycle the product afterwards? Is it possible to exchange a part? As a manufacturer, we have made sustainability a priority. They are partly made from recycled materials and are fully recyclable. Each part can be changed individually, to avoid having to replace the whole product.
Guiding principle 10: The design and development of waste management systems aim to optimize costs, environmental benefits and customer satisfaction.
It’s one thing to force people to sort their waste, but it’s another to make it easier. Like any change, it needs to be accompanied. Communes will thus be required to install appropriate sorting infrastructures, according to a plan and regulations. Collection of this waste may vary from one municipality to another, sometimes under the responsibility of the owners who are required to provide the various garbage cans, and sometimes via sorting centers placed in the streets.
So, faced with these obligations and your desire to reduce waste, how do you adapt?
Start by finding out what’s going on in your community. Based on these, you can adapt your own habits. If you’re already used to sorting certain types of waste, such as cardboard and plastic, then you’re in for a treat. We sometimes have trouble sorting odorous waste, such as organic waste. The aim here is to find an optimal solution that allows you to sort without any inconvenience. Read our article ” Vacuum, aerated garbage can or activated carbon? How to choose the right garbage can? “or “Worm composters, bokashis and indoor composters: we’ve tested them for you” (article coming soon).
What about France? see our article “Sorting biowaste in France” (article coming soon)
© All rights reserved – klode° by Klode SAS
