Waste reduction final report -4 - Test Input

Appendix for Switzerland report
Legislation articles
Articles in German are available in French and Italian, too. However, they have not officially
been translated into English.
The Federal Constitution of the Swiss Confederation
Art. 73 Sustainable Development
The Confederation and the Cantons shall endeavour to achieve a balanced and sustainable
relationship between nature and its capacity to renew itself and the demands placed on it by
the population.
Art. 74 Protection of the environment
1 The Confederation shall legislate on the protection of the population and its natural
environment against damage or nuisance.
2 It shall ensure that such damage or nuisance is avoided. The costs of avoiding or
eliminating such damage or nuisance shall be borne by those responsible for causing it.
3 The Cantons shall be responsible for the implementation of the relevant federal regulations,
except where the law reserves this duty for the Confederation.
Act for Environmental Protection (USG)
Chapter 4: Waste; Section 1: Avoidance and Disposal of Waste
Art. 30 Principles
1 The production of waste should be avoided wherever possible.
2 Waste must be recycled wherever possible.
3 Waste must be disposed of in an environmentally compatible way and, insofar as this is
possible and reasonable, within Switzerland.
Art. 30a Avoidance
The Federal Council may:
a. prohibit the putting into circulation of products intended for once-only, short-term use if
the benefits of such use do not justify the harm to the environment that they cause;
b. prohibit the use of substances and organisms that considerably hamper disposal or the
disposal of which may represent a danger to the environment;
c. require manufacturers to avoid production waste where there is no known environmentally
compatible process for its disposal.
Art. 30b Collection
1 The Federal Council may require certain types of waste that are suitable for recycling or
that need special treatment to be handed over separately for disposal.
2 It may require those who put products into circulation that are suitable for recycling or need
special treatment:
a. to take such products back after use;
b. to charge a minimum deposit and to refund this when the product is returned.
3 It may arrange for the establishment of a deposit compensation fund and specifically
require:
a. those who put products into circulation on which deposits are paid to pay any
surplus from the deposit charges into the compensation fund;
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