Systematic eRecycling is vital to the protection of the environment. With the Swiss Ordinance on the Return, Taking Back and Disposal of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (ORDEE), the legislator has created the foundations for organising eRecycling in Switzerland.
Efficient and competitive
Thanks to the so-called advance recycling contribution (ARC), which is already paid when purchasing an electrical or electronic appliance, sustainable eRecycling in Switzerland can be competitively financed. It also ensures that eRecycling can be implemented simply and efficiently: disused electrical and electronic appliances are taken back by manufacturers, importers, retailers and collection points, and added to the eRecycling life cycle.
ORDEE – the Swiss Ordinance on the Return, Taking Back and Disposal of Electrical and Electronic Equipment
The ORDEE came into effect on 1 January 2022 (see the wording of the ORDEE legislation). It governs the handling of disused electrical and electronic appliances. Retailers are obligated to take back disused appliances from their product range free of charge and have these professionally recycled. Thanks to the SENS eRecycling system, this legal requirement is handled and implemented simply and efficiently.
Consumers can simply return their disused electrical and electronic appliances to manufacturers, retailers, importers and all collection points free of charge. Manufacturers, retailers and importers sign up with SENS eRecycling and set up a collection order, after which the disused electrical and electronic appliances are collected. SENS eRecycling thereby ensures a customer-friendly and practical service.
ARF – the advance recycling fee
With the introduction of the advanced recycling contribution (ARC), the funding for reusing electrical and electronic appliances is secured. The system operated by SENS eRecycling and all its partners thereby makes an important contribution to reducing environmental pollution. This is all made possible because consumers accept this system and pay a contribution towards it when purchasing a new electrical or electronic appliance. The amount paid depends on the appliance type and weight. Each year, the ARC tariffs are re-assessed by the ARC Committee so that no customer ends up paying too much.
ORDEE vs ARF
Whereas the ORDEE provides the legal basis and fundamental principle for eRecycling, the ARC ensures that the resulting costs are covered.