While Chang Kow-lung (
The deposit system will ask buyers of batteries to pay a NT$5 deposit. They can get the refund after they have returned with the used batteries.
"The Waste Disposal Act (
"We also have to determine where and how buyers can get the deposit back, whether through convenience stores or through financial institutions," he said.
Wu said the administration will continue the campaign to recycle used batteries, but it is more inclined to include battery manufacturers directly.
"It is the global trend that recycling is becoming part of corporate responsibility," he said.
Wu said that the administration has been trying to convey this message to the manufacturers through many seminars and discussion sessions over the years. While they all have expressed their willingness to cooperate, they have also addressed the need for the public to help raise the recycling rate of batteries.
According to Wu, the recycling rate of used batteries has greatly increased over the years. Last year, recycled batteries reached 4,289.5 tonnes, which translates to a recycling rate exceeding 45 percent.
The recycling rates in 2004 and 2005 were only 17.75 percent and 21.9 percent respectively.
The increase in the number of recycled batteries has motivated people to establish recycling companies, Wu said.
Besides the deposit system, the ministry has also proposed other options. For example, one proposal would allow a discount on new batteries in exchange for used ones.
In the past, the administration used a similar plan, rewarding recyclers of used water bottles by giving them NT$2 for each bottle.
The campaign has proven to be successful, as the recycling rate of the bottles has doubled.
The EPA had to eventually cancel the award system in 2002, as many used it as a way to make money.
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The New Taipei City Government today warned about the often-overlooked dangers of playing in water, and recommended safe swimming destinations to cool off from the summer heat. The following locations in the city as safe and fun for those looking to enjoy the water: Chienshuiwan (淺水灣), Baishawan (白沙灣), Jhongjiao Bay (中角灣), Fulong Beach Resort (福隆海水浴場) and Sansia District’s (三峽) Dabao River (大豹溪), New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department Director-General Yang Tsung-min (楊宗珉) said. Outdoor bodies of water have variables outside of human control, such as changing currents, differing elevations and environmental hazards, all of which can lead to accidents, Yang said. Sudden
Tropical Storm Podul has formed over waters north-northeast of Guam and is expected to approach the seas southeast of Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. The 11th Pacific storm of the year developed at 2am over waters about 2,660km east of Oluanpi (歐鑾鼻), Pingtung County — Taiwan's southernmost tip. It is projected to move westward and could have its most significant impact on Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday next week, the CWA said. The agency did not rule out the possibility of issuing a sea warning at that time. According to the CWA's latest update, Podul is drifting west-northwest
RSS