A rally will take place next Tuesday in Taipei to protest a government ban on distributinplastic bags, disposable food containers and tableware, Taiwan Plastic Industry Association officials said yesterday.
Hsieh Shen-hai, secretary-general of the association that is organizing the demonstration, said that more than 50,000 people from around the country, including makers of plastic bags, disposable plastic and styrofoam food containers and tableware, retailers and their families, will take part in the protest to express their anger over the government policy, which is to be implemented on Jan. 1.
Related businesses criticized the policy, claiming it will seriously threaten their livelihoods as the ban will immediately result in a 60 percent drop in the sector's production, forcing factories to lay off workers, shut down or relocate to other countries.
Complaining that the measure is extremely unfair to firms that make environmentally friendly plastic bags and containers, they urged the authorities to pay heed to the problem and work out complementary measures to avoid a decline of the sector, which they said has made great contributions to Taiwan over the past 30 years.
The Environmental Protection Administration issued the first-stage of the restrictions in July, requiring public establishments, schools and hospitals to avoid the use of plastic bags and disposable food containers from October.
After the second-stage of the ban takes effect at the beginning of next year, department stores, hypermarkets, supermarkets and fast food chain stores will also be included in the ban.
The EPA said the impact of the expanded ban will not be as severe as the sector claims.
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