Shaping the future together: a look at the year 2022
As a non-profit foundation organised by the private sector, SENS eRecycling has been setting pioneering eRecycling benchmarks together with its partners for over 32 years. The common aims are to recover as many recyclable materials as possible, remove hazardous substances safely and promote the circular economy in Switzerland. The SENS eRecycling take-back system collected 89,960 tonnes of electronic waste in 2022, disassembling the appliances and recycling the recovered recyclable materials. At the same time, SENS eRecycling developed the Circular Platform for consumers, established new industry solutions for e-cigarettes and heat pumps, and achieved impressive progress in the recognition of electrical or electronic appliances thanks to artificial intelligence.
On average, Swiss citizens recycled 10.23 kilograms of electrical and electronic appliances via the SENS system in 2022 – equivalent to a total volume of 89,960 tonnes, including 37,167 tonnes of large household appliances, 30,386 tonnes of small electrical appliances, 20,508 tonnes of refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment, 3,278 tonnes of lamps and lighting, and 936 tonnes of photovoltaic modules. The total volume collected fell by two per cent compared to the previous year. “The main reason was the drop in sales figures for electrical or electronic appliances after the coronavirus pandemic. People in Switzerland bought a lot of new electrical or electronic appliances during the coronavirus pandemic, resulting in record takings for us”, explains SENS eRecycling Managing Director Pasqual Zopp. “The situation is now gradually returning to normal. We are sensing the same trend in the collected volume of electrical or electronic appliances. After all, if people aren’t buying new products, they’re not replacing their existing ones. That means fewer appliances end up in our collection system”, adds Zopp.
Strengthening of the circular economy and more transparency thanks to AI
One of last year’s highlights was the go-live of the Circular Platform. The new platform circular-plattform.ch teaches consumers how to use resources efficiently in easy steps. They also interactively learn how they can help strengthen the Swiss circular economy. In order to analyse the flow of recycled goods more precisely and draw more accurate conclusions regarding the population’s recycling behaviour and the recyclability of appliances from this analysis, SENS eRecycling is now also relying on artificial intelligence (AI). What started as a pilot project in 2020 is now being developed into a minimum viable product (MVP). The AI can already reliably recognise around 80 appliance object classes. By the middle of the year, the algorithm should be able to recognise and classify 35 further objects – from electric toothbrushes to toasters. SENS eRecycling is setting standards across Europe with its AI-powered MVP development and making an important contribution to sustainability by bringing more transparency to the flow of electronic waste.
New industry solutions for new products
SENS eRecycling likewise relies on a strong network of partners when it comes to its industry solutions, for instance. Particularly worthy of mention here is the new industry solution for e-cigarettes, for which SENS eRecycling was able to start planning last year together with the Swiss Vape Trade Association (SVTA) and a number of major importers. Large quantities of e-cigarettes have previously ended up in regular waste, as consumers do not realise they are electrical or electronic appliances; however, correct and environmentally friendly recycling is also important in the case of disposable e-cigarettes, as this is the only way to get the raw materials they contain back into the cycle. The new industry solution being launched on 1 July 2023 is designed to ensure sustainable disposal of e-cigarettes. In collaboration with GebäudeKlima Schweiz and Fachvereinigung Wärmepumpen Schweiz, SENS eRecycling notched up another success with the new industry solution for heat pumps, which comes into force on 1 July 2023. Over 80 per cent of the heat pump manufacturers and importers in Switzerland have already signed up to the industry solution, representing a clear commitment to straightforward and environmentally sound disposal of the appliances.