Latest Environmental Legislation In Effect And In Pipeline – 2023 Overview

This article summarises key amendments to Swiss environmental laws which came into effect in recent months or will come into effect in the near future.

Air pollution control

The Federal Council has introduced changes to the Ordinance on Air Pollution Control (OAPC) with effect from 1 January 2023,¹ enabling cantons to set less far-reaching emission limits in exceptional cases and under strict conditions.

Because of the war in Ukraine and the resulting uncertainty in the supply of gas and electricity, there is a risk of difficulties in the supply of chemicals used by industry to purify exhaust gases. This applies particularly to wood-fired power plants, waste incineration plants and cement plants, which require chemicals such as ammonia or urea to reduce emissions of harmful nitrogen oxides. If such chemicals are not available due to supply difficulties, plants risk exceeding the applicable emission limits. In such cases, cantonal authorities would have to decide