Switzerland - Ordinance on Packaging

The Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) in Switzerland notified WTO in July regarding a draft Ordinance on Packaging.

The legal draft requires that aspects of sustainability shall be taken into account in the packaging production stage. Where technically possible and economically viable, producers and distributors shall aim to minimize the material used, improve the packaging composition and design, enhance the recyclability and the use of secondary raw materials in packaging. A subsidiary take-back obligation for non-refillable plastic packaging and beverage cartons is established to set up a national separate collection of this type of packaging (including a recycling rate). The existing obligation to charge a prepaid disposal fee on glass beverage containers will be extended to other glass packaging for food and cosmetic products to ensure the financing of the disposal of this waste. Exceptions to the mandatory deposit on refillable beverage containers are foreseen to simplify the use of refillable beverage containers. The existing reporting requirements for beverage containers will be applied to other packaging materials so that recycling rates can be calculated and there is more transparency in the packaging market. The current regulations on PVC  beverage packaging will be repealed, as PVC is hardly  used for this purpose anymore.

Proposed date of entry into force: January 1, 2027, with the  following transition periods:

• until January 1, 2028 for the subsidiary take back obligation for non-refillable plastic packaging and beverage cartons
• until January 1, 2029 for the reporting requirements.