Circular economy: European Union and Switzerland
The European Union has advanced the development of the circular economy through the Ecodesign Regulation for sustainable products, and waste legislation (including the Packaging and Waste Regulation and the End-of-Life Vehicles Directive).
It has also issued a regulation on batteries.
To note: the circular economy is an alternative economic model to the traditional linear model of «extract, make, use and dispose».
According to information from the World Trade Organization (WTO), the EU measures aim to improve product design to avoid the use of chemicals or hazardous materials, reduce the environmental impact of a product from its conception, among other issues.
The recently agreed Ecodesign Regulation for sustainable products extends the scope of the former Ecodesign Directive to cover most end-use and intermediate products, and introduces provisions aimed at extending the life cycle of products, such as product repairability, durability and availability of spare parts, among other things.
Circular economy
With regard to waste, the European Union’s objective is to reduce the generation of waste and to reincorporate secondary raw materials and recycle waste into the economic cycle, while promoting the adoption of extended producer responsibility systems.
The new Regulation on batteries and accumulators, which replaces the Directive on batteries and accumulators, will make the batteries and accumulators on the European Union market more sustainable and circular.
It aims to ensure sustainability throughout the life cycle of batteries and accumulators, from supply to recycling.
The legislation introduces progressive sustainability requirements, increased collection targets and mandatory recycling. More detailed regulations will be adopted between 2024 and 2028.
Risks
In Switzerland, regulations on the recycling of plastics (in beverage bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET)) and electronic devices have been adopted (e.g., Environmental Protection Act, Ordinance on Beverage Containers).
In addition, a chemical hazard reduction order is in force and a national system for recycling PET containers, and beverage containers from aluminum and glass bottles, established by federal regulation and a minimum recycling threshold (a bond will only be introduced if the recycling threshold is not met), operates.
Used waste bottles that cannot be recycled are incinerated to produce electricity and heat.
In the case of electrical and electronic equipment, an anticipated recycling contribution is included in the purchase price.
