The “E-cigarettes” Industry Solution is off to a successful start. In the first stage, convenient return methods at sales outlets and heightened communication are being used to pursue the goal of increasing the return rate to 50%.
Vapes, photovoltaic modules, artificial intelligence, awareness-raising work, heat pumps – our projects over the past year have covered a huge array of topics. But however varied they may have been, they all had one thing in common: promoting the circular economy in Switzerland.
“E-cigarettes” Industry Solution
New industry solution for the booming e-cigarette market
Sales of e-cigarettes (vapes) have increased significantly in Switzerland over the last few years. In 2022 alone, more than 10 million vapes were imported into Switzerland. It is important to draw a distinction between reusable and disposable vapes here. Most disposable vapes reach the end of their useful life after just 600 puffs. Most of them end up in landfills instead of being recycled, but e-cigarettes are electrical devices that must be disposed of properly. In response to this trend, SENS eRecycling has worked with the leading importers and retailers to devise an industry solution for environmentally friendly disposal of e-cigarettes. The new industry solution has been in force since 1 July 2023 and is still open to any manufacturers, importers and retailers of e-cigarettes who have not yet opted in.
Due to their batteries and electrical heating coils, all e-cigarettes qualify as electrical devices and are subject to the Ordinance on the Return, Taking Back and Disposal of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (ORDEE). Accordingly, manufacturers, importers and retailers in Switzerland are obliged by law to take back all types of used e-cigarettes.
With the new industry solution for e-cigarettes, SENS eRecycling offers manufacturers and importers a standardised process for the collection, transport and recycling of e-cigarettes. To this end, SENS eRecycling supplies vape recycling bags to all sales outlets of the contractual partners. Kiosk operators, for example, can use these to collect returned e-cigarettes and send them back to SENS eRecycling by post. Alternatively, sales outlets – despite being consumers themselves – can hand in disused e-cigarettes free of charge to any SENS collection point in Switzerland.
SENS eRecycling covers the costs of collection, transportation, raising consumer awareness and disposal of e-cigarettes through an advance recycling contribution (ARC). This is currently 10 cents per e-cigarette and is collected as a fixed amount of the sale price by the manufacturer or importer. As of 01/01/2023, enough manufacturers, importers and retailers have signed the affiliation contract for the SENS eRecycling take-back system to get us to a 50% market share. In doing so, these companies have committed to the environmentally friendly disposal of e-cigarettes.
Goal 1: Increase the return rate to 50%
With the dramatic increase in sales of disposable vapes, there is an onus on all parties to ensure that harmful substances do not enter the environment through improper disposal and that raw materials can be recovered. For this reason, we will actively approach more manufacturers, importers and retailers to offer them our industry solution, and thus an environmentally friendly recycling solution.
Consumers remain decisive in this. In the next few years, communication will therefore be stepped up to raise awareness of this important topic among the Swiss population.
Conclusion
“Heat Pumps” Industry Solution
New sustainable disposal solutions for heat pumps
SENS eRecycling has concluded a new partnership agreement with GebäudeKlima Schweiz (GKS) and the Swiss Professional Heat Pump Association (Fachvereinigung Wärmepumpen Schweiz, FWS) Taking effect on 1 June 2023, the agreement governs the environmentally friendly, cost-efficient disposal of heat pumps in Switzerland. The new “Heat Pumps” industry solution enjoys widespread support in the industry.
Many manufacturers and importers see the new industry solution as an opportunity to fulfil their obligation to take back disused heat pumps in a simple and efficient manner. Such broad support for this industry solution isn’t to be taken for granted, because every importer/manufacturer is free to choose whether or not they want to participate. The industry solution is open not only to members of GKS and FWS, but also to other manufacturers and importers of heat pumps.
“The manufacturers and importers who have signed up to the industry solution so far make up about 70–80% of the Swiss heat pump market.”
How does the new industry solution work?
The costs of the collection, transportation and recycling of heat pumps and the inspection of recycling companies are covered by SENS eRecycling using the advance recycling contribution (ARC). This is a fixed fee paid directly by the consumer to the installer or manufacturer/importer when purchasing a heat pump. Manufacturers and importers report their sales at regular intervals. The collected fees are put into the fund, which operates on a pay-as-you-go basis. This means that even heat pumps purchased in the past are covered by the ARC and can be returned to the installer, manufacturer or importer free of charge. To this end, manufacturers/importers participating in the industry solution can fill out a collection order in the SENS eRecycling online portal to arrange direct collection of the devices by SENS eRecycling. Alternatively, disused heat pumps can be handed in free of charge at one of over 750 SENS collection points.
Proper disposal and inspection by SENS eRecycling
The new industry solution covers heat pumps with an output of up to 350 kilowatts and heat pump water heaters with an output of up to 20 kilowatts. Just like cooling appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioning units, these devices contain coolants which must be suctioned out before recycling to prevent environmental damage. This makes it all the more important to ensure proper disposal of heat pumps. To this end, the devices are only sent to Swiss plants with the required authorisations and a SENS licence to process the respective device category. These plants are subject to regular inspections which assess environmental and occupational-safety aspects.
On top of the environmentally damaging coolants which recycling companies need to carefully extract and separately destroy, heat pumps contain valuable raw materials such as aluminium, iron, copper and plastics which they recycle and reintroduce to the raw materials cycle. Since heat pumps are recycled using a similar process as refrigerators, we can rely on Swiss partner companies we have previously worked with who can guarantee proper, environmentally friendly recycling of heat pumps at existing plants.
Conclusion
The new “Heat Pumps” Industry Solution ensures the environmentally sound and cost-efficient disposal of discarded heat pumps throughout Switzerland.
SENS AI
How we are using artificial intelligence to promote the circular economy in Switzerland
Electronic waste is the fastest-growing waste stream in the world. In 2022 alone, over 121,000 tonnes of electrical or electronic equipment were collected and recycled in Switzerland. By automating the detection of electronic waste, we are now increasing transparency in the flow of small household appliances and providing manufacturers and recycling companies with reliable, precise data through the use of artificial intelligence. In doing so, we are taking on a pioneering role in the digitalisation of the eRecycling sector and recording another major milestone on the road to a circular economy.
Electronic waste is not only the fastest-growing waste stream worldwide, it also poses a significant challenge for collection points and recycling companies due to its heterogeneity. From toasters, vacuum cleaners and electric toothbrushes to electronic toys, cables and e-cigarettes, small electrical appliances represent a particularly diverse range of product classes. They also differ greatly in terms of age, intrinsic value and recyclability. Despite these challenges, electronic waste offers great potential for an effective transformation to a circular economy in Switzerland and worldwide.
Manufacturers are also increasingly shifting their focus. They want to know more about their products at the end of their useful life so that these products, or parts of them, can be used again. It is therefore crucial to have an effective take-back system that is suitable for this purpose. Manual random samples, in which only one to two per cent of the flow of materials is examined, do not meet these requirements. Furthermore, the growing number of product categories is making this more and more expensive and time-consuming. This is why we are now relying on artificial intelligence to analyse the flow of materials more accurately.
‘SENS AI’ can detect 130 product categories
Launched as a pilot project in 2019, ‘SENS AI’ passed the minimum viable product (MVP) status last year. Today, the AI model has been developed to a level where it can reliably and efficiently detect over 130 product categories on the installed conveyor belts of recycling plants equipped with high-resolution camera models. Immark in Regensdorf, the largest recycling company for small electrical appliances in Switzerland, is an important pioneering partner for the project. All deliveries of small appliances on the existing conveyor belt are analysed on site. This has provided valuable data for the project.
“The project offers us many advantages. It is now easier for us to see what is actually being delivered, determine the proportion of hazardous substances and estimate the.”
SENS AI is reliable, precise and versatile
The AI consistently assigns the detected appliances to the same category, regardless of where the device is installed. This makes the data highly reliable. SENS AI is also extremely versatile, allowing new parameters to be added easily in order to rapidly respond to the changing needs of manufacturers or recycling companies. The electrical or electronic appliances detected by the system are now assigned an average weight, recycling quota or environmental and climate benefits. This allows for better prognoses and greater insight into electronic waste. Another advantage of the AI model is that there will be no additional costs for companies if the quantity of appliances to be analysed increases in the future. SENS AI is also designed in such a way that the system can be rolled out to other locations with minimal effort.
Conclusion
The life cycle of electrical or electronic appliances can now be analysed in a fully automated process thanks to SENS AI. SENS eRecycling and its partners not only achieve greater transparency in the flow of materials, but can now also scale the analysis process and thus make it more efficient and cost effective. In addition, the data generated through the AI model can be combined with external factors as required. As an example, it is now possible to determine the reusability of individual appliances or materials or to draw conclusions about the impact of energy policy decisions on the recycling behaviour of the population. All these measures promote and strengthen the circular economy of electrical or electronic appliances in Switzerland and beyond.
Awareness-raising campaign
“Letting go” on tour – reuse recyclable materials instead of wasting them
Last year, we took our “Fascination eRecycling” container exhibition on a tour across Switzerland. We were able to reach a huge audience, raising awareness about the importance of eRecycling and showing that letting go is worthwhile.
The raclette grill has stopped working, the old coffee machine has been obsolete for a while, and you haven’t played with the remote-controlled car in over ten years – and yet these devices and appliances are still cluttering up your home. Just why is letting go so hard sometimes?
There may be several factors at play. We often overestimate the personal value of devices and appliances that are no longer used, technically obsolete or even defective, or psychological barriers may even prevent us from letting go. We paid a lot for the now-broken espresso machine; we can’t just throw it away. And the old wall clock may not be much to look at, but it was a gift from Auntie Frieda.
It’s frequently even simply a case of not having a disposal routine; we don’t take the broken iron to the collection point straight away, as we can always easily do that next week. But then we don’t do it – even after two weeks, a month or six months. So the appliances lie around unused and useless in our home until we forget that we even have them.
Letting go is good – for you and the environment!
So here’s our tip: Don’t hoard old electronics! You’ll be amazed at how good it feels when you finally get rid of old junk and make room for something new. Our “Fascination eRecycling” container exhibition last year convincingly conveyed the message that “letting go” benefits not only oneself, but also the environment. The exhibition provides a lot of interesting, helpful and convincing information about eRecycling, and it made a big impression last year.
Our 2023 tour included eight stops in total: from the ten-day Luga trade fair in Luzern to a one-day event at Zentralplatz in Biel. The container will go on tour again in 2024.
Do you want to host the container at your event? Then get in touch with us!
Conclusion
Letting go is great – for you and the environment. We managed to convince many people of this on our tour.
International E-Waste Day
Invisible electrical equipment: inconspicuous, but valuable
Some beep, tick or buzz, others glow, flash, flicker or vibrate. And the rest? They go unnoticed. These devices, which aren’t even recognised as electrical or electronic equipment, were the subject of International E-Waste Day 2023. On this day, consumers in over 70 countries were urged to recycle “anything with a plug, battery, or cable” to recover valuable raw materials.
A UNITAR study from 2022 found that the average European has 74 electronic devices at home: 13 of them are bundled away in cellars, attics, cupboards or drawers. Of these, 9 are unused but still work, while 4 are faulty. These devices include many which are often not even recognised as electrical or electronic equipment. As such, they are referred to as being “invisible”. In Switzerland alone, the number of these invisible electrical devices is estimated at around 7 per household or, according to the latest UNITAR figures, a total of 31,000 tonnes per year. These include electrical toys, e-cigarettes, power tools, smoke alarms, LEDs, electric toothbrushes and sports watches. With all of these devices, there is a risk that they won’t be immediately recognised as electronic devices and as such won’t be disposed of properly.
However inconspicuous and small electrical or electronic equipment may be, it all contains valuable raw materials such as copper, aluminium, plastic, and even critical materials like lithium and cobalt, which are essential in the transition to a more sustainable, eco-friendly society. Therefore, it’s important that any devices which cannot be repaired are returned to the resource cycle as soon as possible so that the raw materials can be recycled and used in the production of new goods. Electronic devices that still work, on the other hand, should be gifted, sold or donated. This gives them a second life.
This is why, on International E-Waste Day on 14 October 2023, SENS eRecycling called for the people of Switzerland to recycle any goods with a plug, cable or batteries as soon as possible.
Conclusion
Working together to raise global awareness of the problems associated with disused electrical goods is the goal International E-Waste Day has been pursuing for 6 years. The day, which was started by the WEEE Forum, gets bigger and extends its reach every year.
Circular Platform
Platform to promote the circular economy of electrical equipment undergoes successful launch
Is it still worth having the old refrigerator repaired? Where can I easily dispose of my defective blender? And what should I do with my spare waffle iron? The Circular Platform provides consumers with independent information on the sustainable use of electrical goods and shows in simple steps where disused electrical goods can be resold, repaired or disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner. In collaboration with the City of Bern, the platform was presented to the the broader public for the first time at the ‘Berner Nachhaltigkeitstage’ sustainability festival.
With just a few pieces of information about the device, as well its brand, condition and age, the platform can inform users of the most sustainable option. If it is still usable, the platform suggests websites on which to sell the device and estimates how much it can be sold for on average. The suggestions are based on independent scientific findings. However, if a device is defective, the Circular Platform tells users where it can be repaired or recycled. Please note: For repairs, only official sites of the respective manufacturer are suggested. This is the only way to ensure correct handling that won’t void the warranty.
The Circular Platform is a handy tool for consumers which explains in a series of simple steps how to find the best solution for their electrical equipment – not only for their own benefit, but for the good of the environment.
However, the Circular Platform doesn’t only provide helpful tips on what to do with electrical equipment at home, it also shares the latest information about the circular economy and our partners. The platform is also designed to raise public awareness of the circular economy and show consumers how to use their electrical and electronic goods in a resource-efficient manner.
Conclusion
In its first year of implementation, the “VFAS” industry solution has proven its worth. A digital database has also made it possible to further simplify the declaration process.
Swiss PV Circle
A second life for photovoltaic modules
We launched the Swiss PV Circle project together with Swissolar, Bern University of Applied Sciences and other partners from the solar and energy industry. The project develops business models with the aim of establishing the reuse of photovoltaic modules in the Swiss solar industry. The potential for reuse is to be identified at an early stage based on data, which is why the project includes the development of a digital platform.
2022 saw more new photovoltaic systems installed than ever before in Switzerland, up by almost 60% on the previous year. The work of installers now will be felt by the recycling industry in roughly 20 to 25 years’ time, when the photovoltaic modules will have reached the end of their life cycle. What many don’t know is that around half of these scrapped photovoltaic modules would perform well enough to continue being used as second-hand modules. This was confirmed in the findings of Bern University of Applied Sciences in the EU Horizon project CIRCUSOL. Photovoltaic modules only lose approximately 0.5% of their output each year and thus still deliver 90% of their original output after 20 years. However, there are various reasons for having to decommission photovoltaic modules. Besides weather damage from hail, for example, technical advancement naturally also plays a role: new photovoltaic modules often deliver much more power than those which were installed on roofs and façades 20 years ago.
Together with Swissolar, Bern University of Applied Sciences and other partners from the solar and energy industry, we launched the Swiss PV Circle project in order to close cycles in the solar industry and help conserve resources. The aim of the project is to extend the life of photovoltaic modules by developing business models for their reuse. To this end, a platform will be developed, enabling the relevant circulation strategy to be identified at an early stage by way of comprehensive data management. This data-based calculation is to be supported by a standardised test procedure which determines the reuse potential of photovoltaic modules. In this way, tested second-hand modules can be offered on the market at a lower price, with only the modules that are no longer working being recycled. Potential for reuse is to be identified in the project by way of market analysis. One idea is to use second-hand modules where financial resources are lacking.
Conclusion
Around half of the scrapped photovoltaic modules would perform well enough to continue being used as second-hand modules. This is why we work with Swissolar, Bern University of Applied Sciences and other partners from the solar and energy industry to assess this potential with the Swiss PV Circle project.