300 francs fine for cigarette butts?

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In the future it should be possible to fine anyone who throws their cigarette on the street or leaves their PET bottle in the park. The proposal was initiated by the National Council Committee for Environment, Spatial Planning and Energy (Urek-N). Last November, the Commission passed the bill by a vote of 17 to 4 with 2 abstentions. In particular, the Environmental Protection Act and other laws need to be amended.

Despite reservations, the Bundesrat also supports the proposals. In times of increasing uncertainty and supply shortages, the circular economy can help reduce reliance on raw materials or imported materials, he wrote.

The majority of the Commission wants the Bundesrat to be able to set new requirements for the life of a product, such as recyclability, repairability or availability of spare parts. Rood-Groen wants a more binding formulation. The SVP, on the other hand, would like to do without this passage.

Litter could become expensive everywhere in the future

It is also controversial whether throwing away or leaving behind small amounts of rubbish – such as packaging for food or cigarette butts – should be fined 300 francs. The majority of the Urek-N wants to pay for litter, the Bundesrat and a SVP minority do not.

Many cantons already have a litter ban. But with federalism it is always the same: there is a jumble of laws, and nowhere is the problem regulated in a uniform way. The national solution that has now been introduced is also intended to standardize the fines regime of the cantons.

The Bundesrat sees no need for a national regulation for litter. Because most cantons have already laid the necessary foundations for fines for litter, he does not want to include the relevant provision in the Environmental Management Act.

Urek-N also proposes to liberalize waste collection. Voluntary providers from the private sector must be able to collect recyclable materials from private households without a permit from the municipality. The condition is that the collected goods are recycled.

The Federal Council has a reservation here: it believes that the relaxation could complicate removal, which works well today, and its clearly regulated financing. He therefore wants to be able to determine for himself which waste can be collected voluntarily by private individuals.

Online retailers have to pay for packaging disposal

The competent committee wants online mail order companies abroad that deliver to Switzerland to take action. As is already the case today, the Federal Council should be able to oblige manufacturers and importers to pay an early disposal fee for packaging. Another element of the template is a resource-saving construction.

The debate on the amendments to the law on Wednesday morning is likely to last several hours. The advocacy of the template is not disputed. But there are about twenty minority motions.

In the autumn of 2022, 14 organizations from Switzerland set up a coalition for the circular economy against the background of the legislative changes. Their goal is to extend the life of consumer goods. (SDA)

Source:Blick