Miscellaneous waste
The Drahtesel workshop in Bern provides work for unemployed people who renovate bicycles which are resold in Switzerland or sent to Africa. Spare parts are made into a range of useful or decorative items. © www.drahtesel.ch
Swiss army blankets lend themselves to recycling. They are often transformed into handbags and similar items. But they also make good carnival costumes.© julia slater / swissworld.org
One typical Swiss item that is a popular candidate for recycling is the army blanket. They are often made into handbags and similar items, but some people have seen their potential as carnival costumes.
More seriously, items like tools, medical equipment, wheelchairs and bicycles are collected and overhauled by charitable organisations like Hiob International which distribute them to developing countries. Putting them into working order often also provides employment in Switzerland.
Hiob supported 178 relief actions in 41 countries in 2006.
Links to other websites
- Recycling second-hand goods Hiob international
- Recycling workshop Drahtesel (German)