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EPA promotes recycling

Environmental Protection Administrator Hau Lung-bin inspects household waste treatment facilities in Shihkang Township, Taichung County. PHOTO: HUNG SHAO-CHIN, TAIPEI TIMES

Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌), the Environmental Protection Agency administrator, urged the public yesterday to collect household food waste in a bid to ease the pressure of waste management in Taiwan.

In the wake of being censured two weeks ago by the Control Yuan for the EPA's failure to promote policies to reduce, collect and reuse food waste over the past decade, Hau inspected household waste treatment facilities in Shihkang Township (石岡鄉), Taichung County, yesterday.

Hau said that the EPA has made efforts to increase residents' awareness that food waste is an important resource. According to EPA statistics, there are 4,500 communities, schools, and organizations in Taiwan that recycle food waste.

In Shihkang, the township office has spent about NT$1 million on promoting the recycling of food waste since July this year.

Environmental officials said that 2 tonnes of food waste is collected everyday beside the Tachia Creek (大甲溪) in Shihkang, a small rural township with 16,000 residents.

EPA promotion * Some 4,500 communities, schools and organizations in Taiwan recycle food waste. * A total of NT$1 million has been spent in Shihkang to promote the recycling of food waste. * Near Tachia Creek, 2 tonnes of waste is collected everyday. * In Taichung City, 40 to 50 tonnes of food waste can be recycled each day. * The EPA is promoting programs in Changhua and Yunlin counties to recycle 60 to 100 tonnes a day. Source: EPA

Leftovers collected in Shihkang are treated at a local factory by adding sawdust in order to convert it into organic compost (有機堆肥).

Since Nov. 14, environmental officials in Shihkang have used newly made organic compost to nourish vegetable gardens inside the facility. Officials said that the compost would later be used to nourish soil in public parks.

EPA officials said that more money would be available for the compost facility in Shihkang in order to make it a model treatment site.

"The EPA will make efforts to promote food waste recycling based on lifestyles, education levels, economic situations and waste management pressures," Hau said.

Two weeks ago, the Control Yuan also censured the environmental protection departments of several local governments, notably Hsinchu County, Yunlin County, Chiayi City and Chiayi County, for officials' passive attitude toward the recycling food waste.

EPA officials said, however, they have worked hard to promote recycling of food waste not only in rural sites but also in urban areas. In Taichung City, 40 to 50 tonnes of food waste can be recycled each day. In addition, the EPA is promoting new strategies in Changhua and Yunlin counties to recycle 60 to 100 tonnes of leftovers in each county per day by the end of the month.
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