Beverage Container Ordinance (BCO)
English is not an official language of the Swiss Confederation. This translation is provided for information purposes only and has no legal force.
Art. 5 Mandatory deposit for refillable containers
1 Dealers, manufacturers and importers that supply beverages in refillable containers to consumers must charge a deposit. They must take back refillable containers of all the products they stock and refund the deposit. 2 Exempted from these obligations are: a. holders of restaurant businesses who ensure that refillable containers are collected; b. dealers, manufacturers and importers who, when they deliver beverages to consumers’ homes, charge an amount equivalent to the deposit for any refillable containers not returned. 3 The deposit shall be not less than CHF 0.30 for any beverage container.
Art. 6 Mandatory deposit for non-refillable PVC containers
1 Dealers, manufacturers and importers who supply beverages in non-refillable PVC containers to consumers must charge a deposit. They must take back non-refillable PVC containers of all the products they stock, refund the deposit and at their own expense pass the containers on for recycling. 2 Exempted from these obligations are holders of restaurant businesses who ensure that non-refillable PVC containers are collected. 3 The deposit shall be not less than CHF 0.30 for any non-refillable PVC container.
Art. 7 Subsidiary obligation to take back non-refillable PET and metal containers
1 Dealers, manufacturers and importers who supply beverages in non-refillable PET or metal containers to consumers and who do not ensure the disposal of all containers they supply through financial contributions to a private organisation, must: a. take back such non-refillable containers at all points of sale during all opening hours; b. pass such non-refillable containers on for recycling at their own expense; and c. indicate clearly in easily visible places at the points of sale that they accept the return of these types of non-refillable containers. 2 These provisions are subject to the reservation of the special measures taken by the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) in terms of Article 8.
Art. 8 Measures in the case of insufficient recycling level
1 The recycling level for beverage containers made from glass, PET and aluminium shall be a minimum of 75 per cent for each material. The recycling rate of any packaging material is the percentage proportion of the containers recycled during a calendar year compared with the total weight of non-refillable containers of the material supplied for use in Switzerland. 2 If the target is not achieved, DETEC may require that dealers, manufacturers and importers: a. charge a minimum deposit on non-refillable containers of the material concerned; b. accept the return of such containers and refund the deposit; and c. pass returned containers on for recycling at their own expense. 3 DETEC may limit the mandatory deposit to those containers that are the main cause of the recycling target not being met. It may grant exemptions from the mandatory deposit if the recycling of the containers is guaranteed in other ways. 4 If manufacturers and importers supply annually more than 100 tonnes of recyclabl