The Environmental Protection Administration yesterday urged the public to dispose of tissue in trash cans rather than toilets to prevent pipe and tank clogging.
Based on a research report last week, the administration said flushing tissue could have an adverse impact not only on water quality, but also on energy production and carbon reduction.
The report said tissue paper is made with long fibers and often includes wet strength additives that help keep it from rupturing when wet, but which also make it harder to dissolve in water.
The report said tissue disposed of in trash cans is incinerated, which produces electricity, while tissue that has been flushed eventually becomes sediment in the sewage system.
Wang Yeuh-bin (王嶽斌), a senior technical specialist at the administration’s Department of Water Quality Protection, said tissue breaks down physically when flushed but does not dissolve completely, thus increasing the amount of sediment that settles at the bottom of septic tanks in the sewage disposal system.
However, “tissue does not clog septic tanks, not even the worst types of septic tanks in Taiwan,” Taiwan Toilet Association honorary president Wu Ming-hsiu (吳明修) said, adding that irreducible solids which gradually fill septic tanks just need to be removed on a regular basis.
Department of Water Quality Protection Deputy Director-General Andy Shen (沈一夫) said public restrooms should install trash cans and enforce more frequent clean ups to maintain a sanitary environment, adding that trash cans should have lids to reduce smells and unpleasant sights.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it