ENVIRONMENTAL

ENGINEERING
Waste
Management of
Switzerland
Switzerland
Or…
Land and Resources,
Environmental Issues in Switzerland

The environmental problems faced by

Switzerland stem largely from human impacts due to
population growth, consumption of fossil fuels,
urbanization, and the steady rise of tourism. One of
the most significant threats to the environment is
damage to forests from acid rain, a form of air
pollution.
WASTE MANAGEMENT of
SWITZERLAND
1. RECYCLING
“Switzerland is the world champion in the
recycling of plastic bottles, with 80 per cent
returned to factories after use.”
2. INCINERATION

- Municipal solid waste incineration

- Combustible waste incinerated or placed
in landfill
- Energy production in MSW
- Emissions and air pollution
3. Landfilling

Non-recyclable wastes have to be treated

and then deposited in landfills. Three
different categories of landfills have been
defined in Switzerland, according to the
type and level of pollutants contained in
the waste permitted in each category.
 At landfills for inert materials, only rock-like wastes
may be disposed of, from which virtually no pollutants will
be leached out by rainwater. These include materials such
as construction waste (concrete, bricks, glass, road rubble)
and uncontaminated soil that cannot be used elsewhere.

Landfills for stabilized residues are designed for the

disposal of materials of known composition, with high
concentrations of heavy metals and only a small organic
component, and which cannot release either gases or
substances readily soluble in water. Typical materials
include solidified fly ash and flue gas cleaning residues
from municipal waste incinerators, and vitrified treatment
residues.

All other types of land fillable waste have to be

disposed of at bioactive landfills, in which chemical and
biological processes are expected to occur. At these sites,
drainage controls are also required. In addition, any gases
emitted are to be captured and treated.
4. EXPORTING TO OTHER COUNTRIES

Exports of hazardous waste

Exports of hazardous waste are only authorized if it will undergo
environmentally sound disposal abroad. Exports to non-OECD countries are
prohibited. About 14 % of all hazardous waste is exported for recycling,
treatment or landfilling, with around 63 % of this total being disposed of in
Germany, and the rest almost exclusively in other EU countries – Belgium,
France, Italy, the Netherlands and Austria. The federal authorities permit
exports of hazardous waste mainly for recycling. Special arrangements are
applicable for the disposal of filter cake from municipal waste incinerators
in German underground landfills, and non-metallic shredder residue in
incinerators abroad.
TECHNOLOGIES FOR WASTE-DISPOSAL/TREATMENT

2. AQUAMIN SYSTEM

Attracted by huge financial savings, foreign

countries are looking with interest at a Swiss invention
to solve the problem of wastewater treatment in
rural areas.
- Cost savings
- Family tests
- Potential market – Everywhere
AQUAMIN SYSTEM
 The treatment system
Wastewater treatment plant:
The plant consists of two reactors with a volume of 1.5 m3 each. The
wastewater is purified biologically and withdrawn through a membrane with 0.04
um pore size.

Urine treatment:
Urine is collected separately with NoMix toilets. Urine contains around 50% of the
phosphate load. The phosphate is removed by precipitating struvite - a fertilizer.

Sludge treatment:
The pollutants are removed from the wastewater by biological activity.
The activated sludge (mixture of water and microorganisms) needs to be
removed from time to time. It is pumped into a filter bag which is located outside
the building. The solids are retained while the water flows back to the treatment
plant.

Water recycling:
The treated wastewater (permeate) is collected in a tank. It is reused for
toilet-flushing and gardening, thus reducing the water consumption by 35%.
2. Construction of first Nereda waste water
treatment plant in Switzerland

- In a few months, construction is set to begin on the Nereda plant at the waste
water treatment plant Alpnach in Switzerland. WWTP Alpnach is Royal
HaskoningDHV´s first Nereda in Switserland.

- Nereda technology is selected for the extension of the Alpnach Wastewater

Treatment Plant in Switzerland and will be operational by 2019.
Danke ! 

(thank you)