“The mortar shell was found early this afternoon by a diver,” said a spokesman for canton Vaud police on Saturday. “Demining experts arrived and ascertained that it didn’t have a detonator.” The beach and road were closed for about an hour.
Apart from that surprise, the ninth “Clean Lake GenevaExternal link” weekend has so far turned up mostly scrap metal like shopping trolleys, chains, tyres and plastic. “The amount of plastic and cigarette butts is quite outrageous,” said project leader Adrien Bonny.
More salvaged forms of transport
Keystone
Bonny said a lot of the plastic debris comprised drinking straws, bottle tops and yoghurt lids.
A depressing haul
Keystone
The clean-up takes place every two years and this year involved 310 divers and 840 volunteers on land. On average between ten and 15 tonnes of rubbish are collected, which are then sorted, recorded and recycled where possible.
Popular Stories
More
Culture
Documentary portrays Swiss teenagers forced to return to parents’ homeland
Climate: 224 Swiss companies announce CO2 reduction targets
This content was published on
A total of 224 companies from Switzerland have joined the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), committing to CO2 reduction targets that are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.
Swiss political class divided over reform of EU asylum pact
This content was published on
As a result of the EU's Migration and Asylum Pact, Switzerland must adapt five laws linked to the Schengen/Dublin agreements.
AI can reduce the number of animals needed for research
This content was published on
Swiss researchers have developed a new, AI-supported method that analyses the behaviour of mice in the laboratory more efficiently.
Geneva Conventions conference on Middle East scheduled for March 2025
This content was published on
The conference on the Middle East of the 196 States party to the Geneva Conventions, organised by Switzerland, will take place in Geneva in March.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Dangerous toxin levels found in Lake Geneva
This content was published on
Switzerland has an international reputation for cleanliness and pristine landscape, but a team of scientists from the University of Geneva and Britain has revealed that the lake is as susceptible to plastic waste problems as the ocean. The team analysed 3,000 objects, such as toys, pens, cotton swabs, food packaging and fragments of foam and…
This content was published on
A bio-inspired robot developed by a Swiss research team can be fitted with sensors that allow it to zero in on sources of aquatic contaminants.
This content was published on
The research, carried out by scientists from Lausanne’s Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) and commissioned by the Federal Office for the Environment, found that the concentrations present in the lakes did not pose a direct threat to the environment and quality of drinking water inside Switzerland. “But these are not natural particles and they don’t…
This content was published on
Scientists say there is no need to be alarmed but warn of potential long-term risks. Some 15 per cent of Switzerland’s wastewater is discharged, after treatment, directly into lakes. The Swiss Federal Institute for Environmental Science and Technology (Eawag) carried out the study, published on the Frontiers in Microbiology website, to learn more about multi-resistant…
This content was published on
Winter is synonymous with snow sports for most people but, for others, it is the best time of year to scuba dive in Switzerland’s lakes and rivers.
This content was published on
Since coming together last summer, the 17 divers have amassed an impressive “booty” including bicycles, tyres from cars and tractors, car wheels, stovepipes, fridges, garden benches, ammunition, oil drums, tins of paint, countless glass and plastic bottles and tins. “I’m shocked at the lack of responsibility some people show towards nature,” SAET founder and president…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.