Electronic waste returned to Switzerland

On April 8, 2026, two attempts to illegally import over one ton of electronic waste were stopped at the German customs office in Konstanz-Autobahn. The shipments, which weighed more than 1,000 kg in total, had been imported into Germany without the necessary permit. The total value of the two shipments exceeded 400,000 EUR.

The shipments, declared as sorted waste, were intended for delivery to a recycling company in Bavaria. During the inspection of the goods, customs officers expressed doubts about the stated exemption from permits. The waste consisted of electronics that were firmly connected to plastic parts, which required a permit. Consequently, the relevant supervisory authorities were involved, confirming the suspicion: a waste law notification would have been mandatory for the import.

Since the responsible company could not present the required documents, illegal waste transport was established. The shipments were subsequently rejected back to Switzerland.

Role of the customs administration

In Germany, the monitoring of compliance with waste law regulations is the responsibility of the waste authorities of the federal states. The customs administration supports these authorities by checking compliance with Regulation (EC) No. 1013/2006 and the Waste Shipment Act during the clearance and inspection of cross-border transports. These measures are part of efforts to prevent illegal waste transports and protect the environment.

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