In May 2023, the Swiss National Council decided to strengthen the circular economy in Switzerland as part of the Environmental Protection Act.
The focus will be on the avoidance and recycling of waste, whilst also covering the liberalization of waste & material collection, and a reparation-index for products.
The first Circularity Gap Report Switzerland confirms the need for Circular Economy principles, with only 7% of the economy being circular and 9.1% of jobs contributing to a circular economy. Changes in the political framework and regulations are thus important enablers.
Already leading the way are multiple companies and initiatives in Switzerland, promoting and boosting a circular economy. Spotlight on circular economy in the Greater Zurich Area:
Packaging & logistics
Packaging & logistics
Huhtamaki's innovative packaging solutions for food and beverages will be recyclable, reusable, or compostable as of 2030.
Ponera Group's unique logistics solution is based on an innovative and reuseable modular system of cost- and weight-saving bio-polymer-based pallets.
ReCircle is replacing single-use packaging with reusable, high-quality, and more eco-friendly alternatives, which can be purchased and returned by all partners.
Clothing & textiles
Clothing & textiles
Muntagnard produces sustainable clothes for the circular economy, making clothes out of wood.
Freitag manufactures bags using old truck tarps , embracing a circular model and also developing its own, fully circular material using biodegradable textiles.
Worn Again Technologies uses polymer processing technologies for textile recycling, producing new fibres and textiles.
FoodTech & farming
FoodTech & farming
Elevate Farms grow crops with vertical farming. Their systems maximize space usage with circular resource management.
Swiss Blue Salmon's innovative land-based recirculating systems, 99% of the water is recycled, which reduces consumption to a minimum.
Construction & infrastructure
Construction & infrastructure
Swiss National Railway SBB renovates its coaches rather than replacing and builds wood-based and easy-to-deconstruct engineering buildings, aiding future reuse. SBB is creating a digital material registry, so that older structures can act as a ‘bank’, providing secondary materials for future use.
Holcim is advancing circular construction by producing the world’s first cement containing 20% recycled construction and demolition waste.
Reparable & circular user goods
Reparable & circular user goods
Niuway is a tent rental service for festivals. The tents can be easily cleaned, repaired or completed with spare parts.
Swico Recycling offers a pick-up service for used IT & office equipment, communications, and medical technological devices. With qualified recycling companies they give these products a new life.
ABB runs a holistic circularity framework to assess the circular value of a product, covering the entire lifecycle until a responsible end-of-life management.
Greater Zurich makes a positive impact to your sustainability initiative
Greater Zurich makes a positive impact to your sustainability initiative
ESG metrics are increasingly important performance indicators for most sustainable companies. Expanding or relocating a business can have a dramatic impact on these metrics, and Switzerland is the ideal location for meeting sustainability goals.
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