The Government is proposing a revision of the cantonal law on waste and polluted sites (LDSP) aimed at supporting the development of the circular economy in the canton.
This proposed modification represents a first concrete and significant step in the implementation of the Climate Plan. It consists of promoting the realization of concrete projects emanating from the economic sector, public authorities or associative circles. These projects should aim to introduce more circularity in the use of resources and thus reduce waste production.
Linear resource use contributes significantly to global warming, whether through resource extraction, transportation or manufacturing processes. The production of waste that it generates at the end of the cycle is also responsible for significant greenhouse gas emissions, generated by the transport and elimination of waste. Based on the Swiss average, the total quantity of waste produced in the canton of Jura is estimated at more than 500,000 tonnes in 2022. It is therefore important to change production methods and consumption habits towards more efficient use. resource circular.
The proposed amendment to the law aims to support innovative circular economy projects using part of the financial resources from the cantonal waste management fund. This fund is financed by taxes levied on incinerable waste from households and businesses and on waste disposed of in landfills. Part of these amounts must therefore legally be used to support projects benefiting citizens and businesses. The partial use proposed for the circular economy is therefore perfectly in line with the objectives of using the fund.
Subject to Parliament’s approval, the Government therefore plans to invest up to 4 million francs by 2027 in projects supporting the transition to the circular economy in Jura society. This planned financing does not call into question the other actions financed by the cantonal fund in the field of cleaning up polluted sites and waste management. This investment has the advantage of not impacting the Canton’s accounts because it is financed by a fund financed by taxes which will not otherwise increase. The project to support the circular economy is not affected by the Government’s decision to postpone certain measures of the Jura Climate Plan beyond 2024 for financial reasons.
Projects that could be supported must offer innovative and attractive solutions to ensure that materials, objects and foodstuffs remain in a cycle of production and consumption, rather than having to dispose of them as waste. This circular approach is possible at all stages of production and consumption, from the manufacture of products to their recycling, including the extension of their lifespan. Subject to Parliament’s approval, the selected projects will be selected through calls for projects, followed by an evaluation process. A first call for projects could be launched at the end of the year.
At the company level, the system could support industrial ecology projects, both in the industrial and construction sectors. The projects supported by the Canton will highlight the possible synergies between energy efficiency, optimization of material flows and economic profitability.
At the level of citizen consumption, support could go to projects carried out by citizen associations, businesses, institutions or public authorities, ensuring good coordination and networking of actors. The main objective is to provide citizens with a broader and attractive offer allowing them to practice the circular economy on a daily basis, in particular through the sharing, repair and reuse of objects.
Parliament will therefore still have to consider revising the cantonal law on waste and polluted sites before this project planned in the Climate Plan can be launched.
