Waste management laws

Waste management laws regulate the life cycle of waste: prevention, sorting, storage, transport, recovery, recycling, incineration, landfill and remediation of contaminated sites. Swiss law emphasizes waste avoidance, separate collection, environmentally sound disposal and financing according to polluter-pays principles, with important roles for cantons, municipalities and private operators. Specific rules apply to hazardous waste, construction waste, electronic waste and cross-border movements. Compliance often depends on permits, reporting, traceability, public procurement and producer or holder responsibility.