Trash again: One question to end all contradictions!

Q: Can one put the trash about the recyclability of which they doubt (wet paper, meat, big fruit kernels,..) simply in the general, taxed bag? What about simple recyclables like PET, cardboard,..?

I have seen at least two answers to this in (older threads of) EF saying an explicit YES, and at least two others saying a clear NO. Is it Kanton/Gemeinde-dependent?

Of course Hazardous material is not a question. And I'm not considering whether this is enforceable at all or not, just whether there is such law. Any reference to an official source is more than welcome.

Thanks

Trash is trash.

Tom

So it's a Yes? Sorry for my slow brain.

You can put whatever you like in paid for or stickered trash bags - but you‘d be daft to when PET, cardboard, papers, milk cartons, batteries etc can be disposed of free of charge...

You don't really live up to your user name......

That makes sense to me too. But at the deep EF, someone said they know someone was fined for having paper in their trash bag, and nobody challenged their claim in the rest of the thread.

Since every commune seems to do something different I’d ask your commune admin office or check their online website. Mine tells me what’s recyclable

http://www.misery-courtion.ch/index.php?id=57

and what the penalties can be - from 20 to 1,000 francs depending on the severity of the infringement (Article 27).

http://www.misery-courtion.ch/filead…es_dechets.pdf

Just wondering, do the milk cartons go in the same place with the cardboard?

Depends.

Here, yes.

Tom

Thanks. Yet your communal rules do not state whether it's punishable to put "recyclable material into taxed bags". Indeed, it looks more voluntary with phrases like "dans la mesure du possible" and "la commune encourage" in Article 9. I may be wrong as my French is not even close to comfortable.

Usually they don't, and you can verify this by looking at the recycling symbols on the box.

Not here. But you can return both carton and plastic ones - and orange juice cartons to where you bought them - or think you bought them...

Not necessarily "daft". Sometimes one doesn't have enough time to dispose it accordingly.

For me, the paper and cardboard rules (i.e., neat packages must be made) are pretty stupid. Why should they be tied up nicely, and not just put in a paper bag? Luckily, where we live we have a container for paper, so we can throw it there.

Tying it up is purely to stop it blowing around in the wind. Putting it in a bag, it can tip over and then the papers are loose everywhere. Yes, I realise some people would tie up the handles or put some string strategically around the bag but you'd always get some moron that would dump it loose in a bag because they couldn't be arsed.

If it's clear to everyone then it works.

If you have one of those metal baskets to collect the paper in, it's actually pretty straight forward to wind a couple of lengths of string around the paper while it's in the basket then lift it out. Genius!

It makes for easier collection and better use of the space. Furthermore, Migros bags and the like have a special coating and extra thickness that puts them in the cardboard category. If you just shove your paper in such a bag, they have to sort it into a different place. Where I live, it’s collected by two separate lorries, at separate times, so not doing it in line with the rules creates more work.

I've been once to KVA and they didn't want these bags in the cardboard container. I had to choose: either pay the 30 CHF tax for Sperrgut, or take them back. (I paid). Now I'm disposing them at the Coop recycling place.

thanks for explaining, it doesn't sound that stupid anymore

Wow, ok, it really is confusing and contradicts what I was told by one of our rubbish disposal staff.

Well, you've not seen me sweating and swearing over the tying a tight enough knot in the string so the paper doesn't slide out of the stack as I lift it out of the metal basket thing.

Suddenly I become all thumbs.

Because nobody would dare to challenge the myths British expats know as absolutely true about Switzerland.

TIS = Your are kindly asked to separate your trash (and you must admit, that makes sense) but you don't have to.

The only time they will search your trash for your address is when you didn't pay the extra for the bag.

It's not up to date to put everything in the normal trash-bag but the only sin with trash is when you muck up the carefully sorted recycling-stuff.

When in doubt put it in the general trash. I kind of hope you have not doubts about batteries though.