Garbage Collection

I am currently terrified to throw away my garbage. I know, this sounds incredibly odd, but let me describe to you the trash collection process here and you might understand why. Trash must be deposited into a specified $2 garbage bag that is called a Zuri Sack. Anything not put inside a city marked bag will not be collected. Cardboard must be cut up into squares, bundled with twine and put out on a specified day. Newspaper and magazines are also to be bundled separately. I am still not sure what to do with normal paper. Bottles are recycled however I am still not sure if plastic is. In case you do any of the above incorrectly, don’t worry, the trash police (yes, they have an arm of law solely dedicated to the appropriate treatment of garbage) will sort through the garbage to identify who it belongs to and will fine them. Therefore, never throw away anything with your name on it, even if it is in the appropriate bag or you will get fined.

This may sound like an exaggeration, or “Ange” story, but to confirm my fears, two co-workers have already been confronted by the garbage police, one was actually taken down to the station and my apartment owner (who is Swiss) has personally warned me about the strict garbage rules and the governing garbage police