I am so happy about our little garden in our new apartment in Zurich Wollishofen. One of our first move in projects was to freshen up the sandbox for the kids. We decided to remove all the old sand so we could be sure it was free from "foreign matter". Question: what to do with all this old sand??? I did a review of the expansive ERZ site for Zurich http://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/content/...ng/abfall.html and still could not decide if I had garden trash or normal trash. Any ideas?

It's included in the category of Sperrgut: http://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/content/...rrgut_was.html

You saw 'The Great Escape'? Cut small holes in your pockets. Fill your pockets every day and as you walk to the tram let the sand out slowly.

However, that "foreign matter" you mention may render this idea a non-starter...

I would help and take this sand to the tennis Sandplatz in our local club, but I am affraid it is different type of sand and it won't stick well to the brick-red tennis court . Else I would order the removal truck.

I'm not entirely sure it counts as "Sperrgut" - maybe send them an email?

Follow Up:
Many thanks for your help Forum members. We have now gotten rid of the sand. Here is how it went... I finally called the ERZ and made my best attempt to describe my question and needs. I was told a la "The Great Escape" to find a nice field to distribute it in. For me and especially for my super proper German husband this sounded just a little bit too "country". OR, "If you do it in Ohio, think twice about doing it here" - a general rule I subscribe to.

So we asked again.

This time we received instructions to take the sand to a hard to find location under the Hardbrucke and look for the firm Debag. Our sand was apparently "Bauschutt(?)" not "Sperrgut". The whole fun cost us 28 CHF and my husband a bit of sweat (it was alot of sand and it had rained the night before). If you go to Debag, my husband suggests to do so in broad daylight.

Case closed.

I'm glad that ERZ was able to help you the second time, thank you for reporting back.