E-waste can be returned free (SENS / SWICO)
In Switzerland you can return electrical appliances free of charge wherever the category is sold — financed through the advance recycling fee (VREG). SENS eRecycling and SWICO organise this system. So for pure disposal you pay nothing if you bring the device to the retailer or collection point yourself. The value of a firm lies not in disposal itself, but in the transport.
When a pickup is still worth it
A large appliance like a washing machine quickly weighs 70 kilos and can barely be moved without a lift. If there is no car, no lift or no helping hands, pickup from your flat is the only realistic route. What you pay for is the transport and carrying — not the disposal. Honestly: whoever can easily bring the device to the retailer saves with the free return.
Fridge and freezer: refrigerant rules
Fridges and freezers are a special case: they contain refrigerant (formerly CFCs) that must be extracted properly. That is why they cannot simply be scrapped. Collection points and specialist firms are equipped for this — state in your request that it is a cooling appliance so it is handled correctly.
Washing machine, dryer, cooker pickup (guide figures 2026)
For pickup of a large appliance from your flat, the guide figure is CHF 60–140, excl. VAT 8.1%, depending on weight, floor and lift. Several appliances together are cheaper. Disconnection or dismantling (e.g. separating a cooker from the kitchen) can add effort — mention it in your request.
Frequently asked questions
- Is e-waste disposal really free?
- Yes, for self-delivery: you can return electrical appliances free of charge wherever the category is sold (financed via the recycling fee VREG). Only pickup by a firm costs — that pays for the transport.
- What does fridge pickup cost?
- Guide figure CHF 60–140 (excl. VAT 8.1%), depending on weight, floor and lift. Cooling appliances must be handled properly because of the refrigerant.
- Why are fridges a special case?
- They contain refrigerant that must be extracted before the unit is recycled. That is why they belong at a collection point or with a specialist firm, not in normal scrap.
- Do firms take faulty appliances too?
- Yes. For disposal the condition is irrelevant — faulty devices are recycled just like working ones.
- What if I have several appliances at once?
- Then pickup is more worthwhile: several appliances together are cheaper per item, and you save several trips to the retailer.