• Littering (abandoning waste) is a major source of pollution for ecosystems.
• Littering leads to aesthetic, environmental, and economic consequences.
• To protect our mountains, Summit Foundation set up the Clean-Up Tour, a series of clean-up events in ski resorts. During these clean-ups, we sometimes find strange objects, such as phones.

Pollution of ecosystems and the biosphere is a major environmental concern. It is also part of the 6 planetary boundaries already exceeded¹, out of 9 in total². Among the main sources of this pollution is littering³. Littering is defined as abandoning waste in the environment, whether intentionally or not. In Switzerland, the items most commonly found⁴ in the environment are cigarette butts, plastics, and glass fragments.

Littering has many consequences, which can be divided into 3 categories⁵ :

• Aesthetic: abandoned waste detracts from the public's appreciation of the place.
• Environmental⁶: Abandoned waste is generally not biodegradable and accumulates in the environment. It can trap or injure wildlife and release pollutants into the environment. Waste can be transported thousands of kilometres and end up in the oceans or even on mountain tops.
• Economic: the cleaning and prevention of littering cost CHF 200 million per year in Switzerland. Moreover, littering can harm the attractiveness of tourist destinations.

To preserve our landscapes from the effects of littering, Summit Foundation has set up the Clean-Up Tour⁷, a national waste collection tour in mountain destinations. In 2024, we organized 36 Clean-Up⁸ which made it possible to collect more than 3,000 kg of waste! During these days, we obviously pick up cigarette butts, pieces of plastic and bits of glass, but also more unusual objects such as hats, walkie-talkies or even telephones! You can find a small anthology of the unexpected treasures⁹ collected in the mountains on our website.

To combat littering in the mountains, here are some simple actions to adopt:

• Remember to close your bags and pockets.
• Limit the use of plastic packaging as much as possible and make sure it is properly recycled or disposed of.
• Pour les fumeurs, pensez à avoir un cendrier de poche sur vous, comme les Ecobox¹⁰ de la Summit Foundation
• Take part in one of our Clean-Ups¹¹.

Handeln wir gemeinsam, um unsere Berge vor Abfällen zu schützen.

1. Notre-environnement. «Planetary Boundaries». notre-environnement, 18 September 2025. https://www.notre-environnement.gouv.fr/.
2. Oxfam France. «What is the Doughnut Theory of economist Kate Raworth?» Oxfam France, 7 December 2020. https://www.oxfamfrance.org/actualite/la-theorie-du-donut-une-nouvelle-economie-est-possible/.
3. Chaudhary, Abdul Haseeb, Michael Jay Polonsky, and Nicholas McClaren. «Littering Behaviour: A Systematic Review». International Journal of Consumer Studies 45, n^o 4 (2021): 478-510. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12638.
4. https://www.bafu.admin.ch/dam/bafu/fr/dokumente/abfall/fachinfo-daten/kunststoffe-7-littering.pdf.download.pdf/07-Matieres-plastiques-V.pdf
5. https://www.bafu.admin.ch/bafu/fr/home/themes/dechets/politique-des-dechets-et-mesures/littering.html
6. Napper, I. E., and R. C. Thompson. Plastics and the Environment. 2023. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-112522-072642.
7. Clean-Up Tour - Summit Foundation. n.d. Accessed 18 September 2025. https://summit-foundation.org/clean-up-tour/.
8. Summit Foundation - WORKING FOR CLEANER MOUNTAINS. n.d. Accessed 18 September 2025. https://summit-foundation.org/.
9. Unexpected treasures - Summit Foundation. n.d. Accessed 18 September 2025. https://summit-foundation.org/inattendus/.
10. https://summit-foundation.org/en/product/ecobox-summit/
11. Clean-Up Tour - Summit Foundation. n.d. Accessed 18 September 2025. https://summit-foundation.org/clean-up-tour/.