The law obliges all consumers to return them to the point of sale or to another collection point.
However, with the purchase of a battery or rechargeable battery (individually or integrated in devices such as battery carriers), you automatically acquire the right to have them disposed of properly and free of charge. This is the purpose of the advance disposal fee (VEG) or the advance recycling fee (VRB) already included in the purchase price, both of which serve to finance the entire recycling process.
In Switzerland, as in many other countries, the financing of the professional disposal of used batteries and accumulators is organised in such a way that everyone who uses a battery or accumulator contributes to the costs of its subsequent disposal at the time of purchase. The financing of disposal is made up of two elements:
- the advance disposal fee (VEG)
- the advanced recycling fee (VRB).
The advance disposal fee (VEG):
The sales price of every battery and accumulator up to a unit weight of 5 kilograms includes a statutory advance disposal fee (VEG). For a commercially available carbon/zinc battery (Mignon, R6), for example, this amounts to 5 centimes, for an alkaline/manganese battery (LR6, Mignon) 10 centimes. The amount of the VEG is based on the federal scale of charges.
Further link: https://www.inobat.ch