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22.02.2021, 16:30
|  | Newbie | | Join Date: Feb 2020 Location: Lausanne
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| | Local commune tried to charge us for a free card (Lausanne area)
My husband and I are expats to Switzerland. Last year we tried to get a carte de déchèterie (card to access the local recycling dump) and was told it would cost upward of 185 CHF. Some coworkers confirmed their cards in other cities also cost this amount, so we decided to hold off because it was expensive.
Today, I found out a neighbor got their card for free. I looked it up on the Prilly website and indeed it is free for households who live in the city. I've found that it is free in several other places as well.
MY QUESTIONS:
1. Did the commune try to scam us, because we are foreigners? 
2. Is it common to pay for a card to the local recycling bin?
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22.02.2021, 16:35
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| | Re: Local commune tried to charge us for a free card (Lausanne area) | Quote: | |  | | | Today, I found out a neighbor got their card for free. I looked it up on the Prilly website and indeed it is free for households who live in the city. I've found that it is free in several other places as well. | | | | | It also says that you get one automatically. No need to request one. | Quote: | |  | | | MY QUESTIONS:
1. Did the commune try to scam us, because we are foreigners? 
2. Is it common to pay for a card to the local recycling bin?
3. Why did I not get one when I registered at the commune? | | | | | PS: Do you live in Prilly or Lausanne?
Edit: Should be free in Lausanne as well https://www.lausanne.ch/en/vie-prati...cheteries.html | This user would like to thank aSwissInTheUS for this useful post: | | 
22.02.2021, 16:44
|  | Newbie | | Join Date: Feb 2020 Location: Lausanne
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| | Re: Local commune tried to charge us for a free card (Lausanne area)
We live in Prilly. We registered our residency with the commune and have lived here for more than a year, but we never received a card.
Wondering if they purposely target non-Swiss citizens for this, as the coworkers who told us they paid were also foreigners (Italian in her case).
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22.02.2021, 16:48
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Bärn
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| | Re: Local commune tried to charge us for a free card (Lausanne area)
To paraphrase Hanlon's Razor, "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence/stupidity/laziness."
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22.02.2021, 16:49
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: La Cote
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| | Re: Local commune tried to charge us for a free card (Lausanne area)
They might have been charged by accident, if that's the case - they could request to have the cash returned. A degistered letter from them with their account number and a copy of permit should fix it.
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22.02.2021, 16:54
| Senior Member | | Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Lausanne
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| | Re: Local commune tried to charge us for a free card (Lausanne area)
Card is free.
Have you called the municipality in order to request one? What did they say?
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22.02.2021, 16:57
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| | Re: Local commune tried to charge us for a free card (Lausanne area) | Quote: | |  | | | They might have been charged by accident, if that's the case - they could request to have the cash returned. A degistered letter from them with their account number and a copy of permit should fix it. | | | | | I think that the price was just mentioned and not paid so no need to get money back.
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22.02.2021, 17:00
|  | Newbie | | Join Date: Feb 2020 Location: Lausanne
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| | Re: Local commune tried to charge us for a free card (Lausanne area) | Quote: | |  | | | To paraphrase Hanlon's Razor, "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence/stupidity/laziness." | | | | | Perhaps so... But it is odd we did not receive a card in the mail like most people did, and when we asked the commune for one, they said it would cost us a specific fee. | 
22.02.2021, 17:09
| Senior Member | | Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Lausanne
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| | Re: Local commune tried to charge us for a free card (Lausanne area) | Quote: | |  | | | Perhaps so... But it is odd we did not receive a card in the mail like most people did, and when we asked the commune for one, they said it would cost us a specific fee.  | | | | | Maybe they thought you lost the first one? | This user would like to thank Sinking for this useful post: | | 
22.02.2021, 17:20
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: La Cote
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| | Re: Local commune tried to charge us for a free card (Lausanne area) | Quote: | |  | | | I think that the price was just mentioned and not paid so no need to get money back. | | | | | | Quote: | |  | | | We live in Prilly. We registered our residency with the commune and have lived here for more than a year, but we never received a card.
Wondering if they purposely target non-Swiss citizens for this, as the coworkers who told us they paid were also foreigners (Italian in her case). | | | | | OP is talking about co-workers who did get charged. | This user would like to thank MusicChick for this useful post: | | 
22.02.2021, 18:20
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Lugano
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| | Re: Local commune tried to charge us for a free card (Lausanne area) | Quote: | |  | | | Perhaps so... But it is odd we did not receive a card in the mail like most people did, and when we asked the commune for one, they said it would cost us a specific fee.  | | | | | Do you pay normal taxes, or tax at source?
If you pay tax at source, I expect that to be the problem.
And such cards are not "free", I pay CHF 185/year for my "free" card.
Tom
Last edited by st2lemans; 22.02.2021 at 18:30.
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22.02.2021, 18:47
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| | Re: Local commune tried to charge us for a free card (Lausanne area)
Ours, in another VD commune, was free. When I asked if I could have second one, as we have two cars, I was told it would cost me f180.
OTOH the only time I was asked for the card was during the 1st lockdown when a security guard was at the gate.
Our déchetterie, shared with six other communes, is a money-loser. Always in deficit. Our taxes cover the loss.
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22.02.2021, 19:45
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| | Re: Local commune tried to charge us for a free card (Lausanne area) | Quote: | |  | | | Do you pay normal taxes, or tax at source?
If you pay tax at source, I expect that to be the problem.
And such cards are not "free", I pay CHF 185/year for my "free" card.
Tom | | | | | The whole card thing I've never heard of. Recycling places are just free drive in (closed at nights).
I went to the one in Seuzach for years. It was much more convenient for me and never crowded. Until one day I asked at their office, to start collecting nespresso capsules. During the chat it turned out, that only people living in Seuzach are allowed there - which I'm not. It's funded by community taxes.
Now I no longer use nespresso capsules but since I know about the rule, I no longer dare going there.
Blessed are the ignorant.
__________________ It's all a matter or perspective.
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22.02.2021, 19:52
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| | Re: Local commune tried to charge us for a free card (Lausanne area) | Quote: | |  | | | MY QUESTIONS:
1. Did the commune try to scam us, because we are foreigners?  | | | | | Yes. Obviously. There's no other explanation.
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22.02.2021, 20:20
| Member | | Join Date: May 2019 Location: CH
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| | Re: Local commune tried to charge us for a free card (Lausanne area)
Mine cost about 80CHF (VD too). There is a fee for replacement, but don't remember the price. I am getting the card every year by mail.
This time it came very late. Most likely due to covid, commune worked irregular hours/days and probably failed to deliver to everyone in time. | Quote: | |  | | | Ours, in another VD commune, was free. When I asked if I could have second one, as we have two cars, I was told it would cost me f180.
OTOH the only time I was asked for the card was during the 1st lockdown when a security guard was at the gate.
Our déchetterie, shared with six other communes, is a money-loser. Always in deficit. Our taxes cover the loss. | | | | | | 
22.02.2021, 20:26
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Kt. Bern
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| | Re: Local commune tried to charge us for a free card (Lausanne area) | Quote: | |  | | | Wondering if they purposely target non-Swiss citizens for this, as the coworkers who told us they paid were also foreigners (Italian in her case). | | | | |
Sure because everyone is out to get you - NOT.
The most likely explanation is that the card you should have automatically received, is free and additional cards cost 185 CHF.
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22.02.2021, 20:40
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Nyon
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| | Re: Local commune tried to charge us for a free card (Lausanne area) | Quote: | |  | | | Now I no longer use nespresso capsules but since I know about the rule, I no longer dare going there.
Blessed are the ignorant.  | | | | | The aluminum/aluminium capsules used by Nestlé are infinitely more recyclable than the plastic stuff used by their competitors. 100% of the metal can be recovered and reused. The coffee goes into compost. Nestlé also maintains the market by buying back the recycled stuff.
And returning the capsules couldn’t be easier. Nespresso will give you a free bag and the Post will pick it up for free from your milk box.
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22.02.2021, 21:54
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| | Re: Local commune tried to charge us for a free card (Lausanne area)
Each year in January my commune in VD sends the bill for garbage tax/removal plus the déchet card. Maybe you haven't paid your usually annual garbage bill? The déchet card is probably free, as it is here, but maybe its tied to the garbage billing cycle like here.
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22.02.2021, 22:03
| Newbie | | Join Date: Feb 2021 Location: Lausanne
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| | Re: Local commune tried to charge us for a free card (Lausanne area) | Quote: | |  | | | | | | | | Confirming this - at least for a first (single) card which I got last November. Ordered it myself on the website. No direct/indirect bills so far.
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22.02.2021, 23:57
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: canton ZH
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| | Re: Local commune tried to charge us for a free card (Lausanne area) | Quote: | |  | | | The aluminum/aluminium capsules used by Nestlé are infinitely more recyclable than the plastic stuff used by their competitors. 100% of the metal can be recovered and reused. The coffee goes into compost. Nestlé also maintains the market by buying back the recycled stuff.
And returning the capsules couldn’t be easier. Nespresso will give you a free bag and the Post will pick it up for free from your milk box. | | | | | What else is new ....
Actually I did not like the pick up service from Nespresso because no matter how airy I stored the used capsules, they were always moldy by the time I filled one of these bags.
Anyway I now buy coffee beans directly from the coffee roaster, I grind each portion fresh, then make my coffee with my very basic portafilter espresso machine. Back to the roots, almost. |
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