Waste Management
The goal of the City of Lugano is to reduce the amount of waste produced, as well as to encourage and increase recycling, thereby lowering collection and disposal costs.
The Regolamento sulla gestione dei rifiuti (Waste Management Regulation) provides for a mixed fee consisting of a variable‑cost fee proportional to the quantity of waste produced, which in Lugano is collected as a pay‑per‑bag tax (tassa sul sacco), and a basic fee.
Pay-per-bag tax
The pay‑per‑bag tax is a usage‑based fee collected through the purchase of the official bags for the disposal of municipal solid waste. It is called a usage‑based fee because it is proportional to the amount of waste produced. The pay‑per‑bag tax covers exclusively the costs charged by the Azienda Cantonale dei Rifiuti for the energy‑recovery treatment of municipal solid waste.
The Ordinanza sulla tassa sul sacco (Ordinance on the Pay‑Per‑Bag Tax) defines, on the basis of the range set annually by the State Council of Canton Ticino, the price of waste bags in Lugano:
17 litres: CHF 0.40
35 litres: CHF 0.85
60 litres: CHF 1.45
110 litres: CHF 2.65
200 litres: CHF 4.85
The fee is paid at the moment the bags are purchased. The official bag of the City of Lugano is red with white lettering. From year to year, bag prices may be adjusted depending on any revision of the range by the Canton of Ticino.
For more details, please consult the Regolamento sulla gestione dei rifiuti and the Ordinanza municipale sulla gestione dei rifiuti.
A list of stores authorised to sell the official bags of the City of Lugano can be found below.
The City of Lugano has introduced support measures for two categories of citizens who can apply to receive official waste bags free of charge. These are:
- Residents with children or foster children up to 3 years old: eligible for up to 20 official 35-liter bags per year (or an equivalent volume with other bag types)
- Residents with incontinence problems certified by a medical certificate (dated no more than three months prior to the request), who use diapers: eligible for up to 20 official 35-liter bags per year (or equivalent volume)
Basic Fee
The basic fee, on the other hand, covers the costs associated with the recovery of recyclable waste, the management and maintenance of the various collection points (ecopunti, Ecocentri (Recycling Centers), etc.) and the costs of collecting and transporting all waste.
Below are the current amounts of the basic fee for households and business activities. The fee is charged annually.
For households and secondary residences
Primary residence, single person: CHF 50.-
Primary residence, two or more people: CHF 100.-
Secondary residence (used by non-residents), one bed: CHF 50.-
Secondary residence (used by non-residents), two or more beds: CHF 100.-
For business activities
Individuals or legal entities with accessory economic activities at household premises, per individual or entity: CHF 50.-
Campsites, per tent or camper spot: CHF 15.-
Public establishments, per seat, and hotels, per bed: CHF 12.-
Hospitals, institutions, per bed: CHF 20.-
Economic activities with no work units and holding companies: CHF 100.-
Commercial and professional offices, banks, stores, artisans, garages, car repair shops, gas stations, pharmacies, warehouses, depots, industries, factories, department stores, shopping centers, and other economic activities with up to 10 work units: CHF 200.-
Commercial and professional offices, banks, stores, artisans, garages, car repair shops, gas stations, pharmacies, warehouses, depots, industries, factories, department stores, shopping centers, and other economic activities with 11 to 99 work units: CHF 400.-
Commercial and professional offices, banks, stores, artisans, garages, car repair shops, gas stations, pharmacies, warehouses, depots, industries, factories, department stores, shopping centers, and other economic activities with 100 work units or more: CHF 800.-
Bulky Waste, and Events
In cases of proven difficulty preventing the citizen from transporting and delivering bulky non-recyclable waste to Ecocentri (Recycling Centers), an annual pickup for bulky waste can be requested. Requests must be submitted in writing to the Divisione spazi urbani.
For events held on public land, organisers must use the official bags for municipal solid waste. Starting in 2020, as a measure in favour of environmental sustainability, the City of Lugano introduced the obligation to use only reusable cups and/or tableware for events expecting at least 200 attendees. If this is not possible for organisational or financial reasons, compostable single‑use cups and/or tableware are permitted. The costs of proper composting or recovery are borne by the organisers. The City reserves the right to grant logistical facilitation.
The English version of this page was created with the aid of automatic translation tools and may contain errors and omissions.
The original version is the page in Italian.