The collection rate for spent rechargeable and non-rechargeable batteries has increased from 67.2 to 72.9 per cent in Switzerland last year, reports the battery waste management organisation Inobat in its latest activity report. In 2010 and 2011, the organisation had recorded declining collection rates.
Inobat attributes the growth seen last year to changes in consumer behaviour and technical reasons. Optimised timing of the pick-up of waste batteries from collection points had initially led to a time lag which resulted in lower collection rates, but started to show the expected positive effects on the quota in 2012, according to the Inobat report.
Last year, the only battery recycler operating in Switzerland, Batrec AG, reported accepting 2,572 tonnes of spent batteries to Inobat. This is an increase by 200 tonnes compared to the year before.