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Published on 14 May 2020

Plastics in the environment: FOEN publishes overview of current knowledge

Bern, 14.5.2020 - Plastics do not belong in the environment. Nevertheless, around 14,000 tonnes of plastics end up in Switzerland's soil and waters every year – primarily due to the abrasion and decomposition of plastic products and improper disposal of plastic waste. On 14 May 2020, the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) published an overview of the environmental pollution caused by plastics. As a next step, the FOEN, together with the industries affected, will propose measures to reduce this pollution. The Swiss parliament has approved a number of initiatives on the subject of plastics.