Many Taipei drivers may have noticed that the asphalt surface on Zhishan Road in Shilin District (士林) glitters when reflecting the light, but few may know that the sparkle comes from recycled glass particles, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) said yesterday.
“Glass is a material that can be reused almost 100 percent, since it contains few impurities,” director of the EPA’s Recycling Fund Management Board, Lin Chien-huei (林建輝), said.
Besides being blended into asphalt, recycled glass particles can also be mixed into bricks and tiles to make lightweight, but strong, building materials, Lin said. It can also be made into decorative mosaic tiles or glass beads.
“In the past year, because prices for raw materials have been on the rise, recycled glass particles are becoming more and more sought after,” Lin said.
Bottles made of recycled glass can be sold for NT$7 each, more than double the price of just a year ago, he said.
In addition to the economical value of the recycled glass, reusing glass also means less carbon emissions, he said.
“A recycled beer bottle saves 0.8 units of electricity, enough to light a 100-watt light bulb for four hours,” Lin said.
Last year, 190,000 tonnes of glass, mostly old lighting fixtures, was collected by recyclers for reuse.
“This saved about 18,800 tonnes of carbon dioxide and enough energy to provide electricity for 950,000 families for an entire month,” he said.
Though the nation’s glass recycling rate is at an impressive 84 percent, Lin said there was still room for improvement.
“Many farmers have complained to us that beer or energy drink bottles are often thrown into their crop fields, which is not only a waste of resources, but is also dangerous as glass shards often cut their hands or legs,” Lin said.
In addition to throwing glass bottles into rice paddies or other public areas, some consumers fail to take their waste glass to recycling stations because they are either not aware of the importance of recycling or do not know where the recycling outlets are, he said.
“Many local garbage trucks collect glass separately and people are encouraged to dispose of their glass there — if not, most supermarkets or convenience stores offer recycling services,” Lin said.
NEW AGREEMENT: Malaysia approved imports last year after nearly two years of negotiations and inspections to meet quarantine requirements, officials said Up to 3.6 tonnes of pomeloes from Taiwan cleared Malaysian customs on Friday, in the first shipment of Taiwanese pomeloes to Malaysia. Taiwan-grown pomeloes are popular in domestic and overseas markets for their tender and juicy taste, the Ministry of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency said. The fruit is already exported to Japan, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines, it added. The agency began applying for access to the Malaysian market in 2023, compiling data on climate suitability, pests and diseases, and post-harvest handling, while also engaging in nearly two years of negotiations with Malaysian authorities and submitting supplementary
PEAK MONTHS: Data showed that on average 25 to 27 typhoons formed in the Pacific and South China seas annually, with about four forming per month in July and October One of three tropical depressions in the Pacific strengthened into a typhoon yesterday afternoon, while two others are expected to become typhoons by today, Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecaster Lee Ming-hsiang (李名翔) said yesterday. The outer circulation of Tropical Depression No. 20, now Typhoon Mitag, has brought light rain to Hualien, Taitung and areas in the south, Lee said, adding that as of 2pm yesterday, Mitag was moving west-northwest at 16kph, but is not expected to directly affect Taiwan. It was possible that Tropical Depression No. 21 would become a typhoon as soon as last night, he said. It was moving in a
One of two tropical depressions that formed offshore this morning could turn into a moderate typhoon by the weekend, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. Tropical Depression No. 21 formed at 8am about 1,850km off the southeast coast, CWA forecaster Lee Meng-hsuan (李孟軒) said. It is expected to move in a northwesterly direction as it continues building momentum, possibly intensifying into Typhoon Mitag this weekend, she added. The radius of the storm is expected to reach almost 200km, she said. It is expected to approach southeast of Taiwan on Monday and pass through the Bashi Channel between Tuesday and Wednesday,
About nine Taiwanese are “disappeared,” detained, or otherwise deprived of freedom of movement in China each month, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday. Between Jan. 1 last year and Aug. 31 this year, 188 Taiwanese travelers went missing, were detained and interrogated, or had their personal freedom restricted, with some questioned in airports or hotel lobbies, the council said. In a statement ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the council urged people visiting China for any reason to be highly vigilant and aware of the risks. Of the reported cases, 50 people were “disappeared” after entering China, 19 were detained and 119 had
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