Good to know

5 features that help you recognise an electrical appliance: 

• My item has a cable or plug that allows it to be connected directly to the mains supply
• The item contains a rechargeable battery or batteries
• The object can be used to generate light.
• The object is used for cooling.
• The object generates or stores electricity.

Electrical and electronic appliances can be returned anywhere where these are sold – and that free of charge. Collection points also accept all disused appliances, again free of charge. SENS eRecycling is responsible for the professional eRecycling of the following appliance categories:

Recycling of large and small electrical and electronic household appliances, such as

• refrigerators, air-conditioning units;
• washing machines, dryers, tumble dryers;
• vacuum cleaners, fans;
• kitchen appliances;
• electric shavers, hairdryers;
• lawnmowers;
• electric drills;
• exercise bikes:
• etc.

Recycling of electrical and electronic toys, such as

• toy cars;
• toy racetracks;
• robots;
• Game Boys;
• model railways;
• toy instruments;
• etc.

Recycling of electrical and electronic lamps and lighting equipment, such as

• energy-saving lamps;
• floor lamps, table lamps and ceiling lights;
• fluorescent lamps;
• torches;
• headlights;
• spotlights;
• lava lamps;
• etc.

Swico Recycling is responsible for the professional recycling of consumer electronics, office equipment, IT equipment, cameras and mobile phones. Detailed information can be found on the website www.swicorecycling.ch.
If you have any further questions or would like additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

You can return your electrical and electronic appliances to where you originally purchased them, or purchase your new ones, or to a collection point near you – and that free of charge. With just a few clicks of the mouse, the Recycling map allows you to quickly and conveniently find the nearest location for returning your appliances.

Since 1 January 2014, photovoltaic modules and accessories have been financed by the advance recycling fee and can be recycled free of charge.

Up to 10 photovoltaic modules can be handed in at all SENS collection points without any problems. If you have more modules than this, we recommend contacting the collection point in advance. However, it is easier to arrange collection via our portal. Specialist installers can arrange for PV modules to be collected free of charge. To the collection order

Further information on the collection of photovoltaic modules can be found in the photovoltaics information sheet.

With our eRecycling map, two steps are all it takes to find a collection point in your vicinity. Select the appliance category and then enter your desired location or your postcode. Your nearest collection point will then be displayed. You can also return all your disused electrical and electronic appliances to where you purchased them or where you purchase new ones – and that free of charge.

You can return your electrical and electronic appliances at any time during the opening hours of the private or municipal collection points and retailers. You can always return your appliances free of charge, no matter whether you return them to where you purchased them, to where you purchase new ones, or to a collection point near you.

You can return all your used electrical and electronic equipment for recycling free of charge. When returning items to collection points, retailers, manufacturers and importers, there are no restrictions on the number or weight of the devices.

Yes. For devices weighing up to 10 kilograms, you can have your devices collected using the Electro Recycling Bag. For large appliances, there is a collection service available for a fee.

You can find out more about these services here.

Whether or not you can also return other materials and consolidated goods in addition to disused electrical and electronic appliances depends on the respective collection point. If you are uncertain, please contact your nearest SENS collection point. On our website, you will find all our collection points and their contact details. At every SENS eRecycling collection point, you can return the following appliances free of charge:

SENS appliance categories

• Small and large household appliances, refrigeration, air-conditioning and compressor appliances;
• Construction, garden and hobby equipment, electrical and electronic toys, domestic pet items, and sports and fitness equipment
• Lamps and lighting equipment of Swico Recycling appliance categories
• Consumer electronics, televisions, flat-screen displays, office appliances, computers, monitors, telecommunications and IT appliances, telephones, mobile phones, cameras and video cameras.

In addition, all sales outlets and retailers selling similar types of electrical and electronic equipment take back used equipment for recycling.

Please ensure that these do not break, as lamps and lighting equipment can contain toxic substances. For example, if an energy-saving light bulb has broken at home, please adhere to the following rules:

• Thoroughly air the room.
• Wear gloves when cleaning up.
• Scoop up broken glass with a folded piece of paper, pick up the powder with sticky tape, and place everything in a screw-top jar with a tight seal.
• Do not vacuum-clean.
• Bring the sealed jar to a retail outlet or a collection point near you.

Toys often contain electrical or electronic components, such as rechargeable batteries or batteries, which are not visible from the outside. These components contain recyclable materials that can be returned to the cycle through recycling.

The SENS Foundation is an independent, neutral, non-profit, charitable organisation, and operates under the SENS eRecycling brand. 

The Foundation is the specialised cooperation and financial partner for the resource-efficient return, reuse and disposal of electrical and electronic appliances. As an expert in the sustainable recycling of disused electrical and electronic appliances as well as lamps and lighting equipment, the Foundation plays a crucial role in setting pioneering benchmarks in eRecycling.

Returning your disused electrical and electronic appliances is free of charge. This is because you already paid for your eRecycling with the advance recycling contribution (ARC) at the time of purchasing your appliance. You can return your disused electrical and electronic appliances to anywhere these are sold, to where you buy new appliances, or to your nearest collection point – and that free of charge.

The Swiss Ordinance on the Return, Taking Back and Disposal of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (ORDEE) (see the wording of the ORDEE legislation) came into effect on 1 July 1998. It governs the handling of disused electrical and electronic appliances. Retailers are obligated to take back disused appliances from their product range free of charge and have these professionally recycled. 

Thanks to the SENS recycling system, this legal requirement is handled and implemented simply and efficiently. Consumers can simply return their disused electrical and electronic appliances to manufacturers, retailers, importers and all collection points free of charge, while manufacturers, retailers and importers sign up to the SENS take-back system and set up a collection order, after which the disused electrical and electronic appliances are collected. SENS eRecycling thereby ensures a customer-friendly and practical service.

The financing is guaranteed with the advance recycling contribution (ARC). Based on the Swiss Ordinance on the Return, Taking Back and Disposal of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (ORDEE), the ARC was introduced in order to ensure the sustainable and environmentally friendly recycling of electrical and electronic appliances. Manufacturers, retailers, importers and collection points are obligated to take back disused appliances, while consumers are obligated to recycle disused appliances.

Do you have any additional questions, or would you like some more information about eRecycling? Please contact us and we will be happy to answer your questions.