ERDE Switzerland is celebrating continued growth, having collected over 2,660 tonnes of agricultural waste in 2025, with silage and stretch films recycled. This is an increase of around 6.5% compared to the previous year. Additionally, the company has expanded its network, with 127 collection points now available.
ERDE Switzerland & RIGK
ERDE Switzerland collects over 2,660 tonnes of agricultural plastics in 2025
Every year, large volumes of plastic products (e.g., silage stretch films, silage sheets, underlay films and baler twines) are used in Swiss agriculture. The voluntary take-back system ERDE Switzerland has been established to ensure these products don’t end up as waste. Now, manufacturers, farmers and collection point operators work together to collect used agricultural plastics, recycle and then return them to the material cycle.
Farms can also establish their own collection points, helping both the operators and neighbouring farms by reducing transport distances and boosting financial support through ERDE Switzerland.
“Today, ERDE Switzerland counts 127 collection points – an encouraging figure that demonstrates how the network is expanding and how all stakeholders are taking responsibility to keep raw materials in circulation,” said Riccardo Casanova, Managing Director of ERDE Switzerland. “Together with our system operator, RIGK GmbH, we continue to identify new collection points to cover areas where gaps still exist. Compared to the previous year, support for collection points has been further strengthened – a necessary response to the challenges of the recycling market.”
The recycling process is conducted in Switzerland and in other certified EU facilities. Independent auditors verify the collection and recycling processes and document the recovery.
There is still room for future growth. Currently, only around one quarter of used silage films in Switzerland are recycled, a number ERDE Switzerland and RIGK hope to increase.