The Taipei City Government declared yesterday it would strengthen measures to prevent illegal dumping of trash, while announcing it would stop collecting trash bags from 182 illegal dumping sites and encourage residents to report violators to the city government.
In an effort to clamp down on illegal dumping of trash bags, Taipei City’s Environmental Protection Department last month stopped collecting trash bags dumped at illegal sites near the Chinese Cultural University and in the Wenshan District and decided to expand the scale to 182 locations in various communities where trash bags are often found.
“Not collecting trash bags that were dumped illegally will hopefully prevent people from dumping trash bags, especially when we only see more bags piling up there after collections,” said Liang Hung-lang (梁宏郎), a department division chief.
Liang said the number of bags was reduced from 3,499 per day to 810 per day after the city stopped cleaning up trash bags at the two locations.
Liang said the department will disinfect the illegal dumping sites, but will stop collecting trash bags to discourage people from leaving trash.
Inspecting an illegal dumping site in the city’s Hsinyi District, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) expressed his support for the measure, and said the city government would provide cash rewards of between NT$600 and NT$3,000 to those who help the department catch violators.
“Maintaining a clean environment is the responsibility of all residents and we urge all Taipei residents to protect our environment together,” Hau said.
The department encouraged citizens to provide pictures and information about violators to the department.
Taipei City initiated its “keep trash off the ground” policy in 1995 and the “fee per package” policy on July 1, 2000.
Only regulation-sized bags are accepted for collection under the scheme. People found not using such bags or dumping outside specified garbage collection points face fines of between NT$1,200 and NT$6,000.
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