Bin there, recycled that: Spatial waste archetypes characterization in Switzerland for a circular future

Effective resource management is a growing challenge, particularly as waste generation continues to rise across Europe. In Switzerland, the Cercle Indicateurs framework provides key insights into waste sustainability, yet deeper analysis is needed to understand the drivers behind waste generation and processing. This study explores Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) and Construction & Demolition Waste (C&DW) in Switzerland through a spatial and sociodemographic lens. By analyzing waste flows across the 26 cantons, we investigate how factors like population size, age distribution, household composition, and building types influence waste patterns. Given Switzerland’s multilingual and regionally diverse landscape, this approach allows for a nuanced comparison across French-, German-, and Italian-speaking areas. Beyond identifying regional waste trends, this study aims to define waste archetypes—typical profiles of waste generation based on socio-demographics and built environments. Understanding these archetypes can improve waste management strategies, circular economy initiatives, and future waste policy implementation. Using a combination of survey data, canton records, building databases (RegBL), and Swiss Federal Statistical Office datasets, we analyze past, present, and future waste trends, integrating potential policy shifts such as pay-per-bag waste taxation and sustainability investments. By linking spatial and social dimensions, this research provides a framework for more effective, localized waste management in Switzerland and beyond.