The SWICO Recycling take-back system involves a series of transport operations. Used electrical equipment must be brought to the recycling company from the collection point or the sales company. The recycling companies transport entire machines to specialised dismantling companies or other SWICO Recycling partner companies. Most of this involves road transport.
In 2007, SWICO Recycling commissioned Empa to conduct an ecological test of SWICO's operations to calculate the amount of CO2 emissions produced by the transport operations. The goal was to improve the environmental performance in terms of logistics. The Empa tests showed that the SWICO recycling system adheres to its set transport limit of 40 kilometres from the collection point to the recycling company, with an average distance of 39 kilometres. The CO2 emissions total 340 tonnes each year, which corresponds to the annual consumption of 20 oil-heated, one-family homes.
In a further step, SWICO Recycling will scrutinise the optimisation potential, and introduce further steps to improve its environmental performance.
