Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou
The new trash collection scheme aims to reduce the volume of the city's waste by having the users of the garbage-collection service pay for it directly, instead of assessing fees through water utility bills as in the past. The hope is that the volume of garbage will be reduced because the new fees will encourage households to separate their trash into "recyclables" and "non-recyclables," as well as encourage the reuse of recycled materials.
The underlying motive and and objective of the policy are right on the mark. However, the actual implementation appears fraught with problems. First of all, the city government has done a less than ideal job of promoting the new policy. Taipei residents have yet to receive any instructional brochures or fliers from the government. How should they divide up their garbage? What do they do with trash that doesn't fit into the new bags? Where can they buy the bags? What kind of sanctions and penalties will be imposed on violators?
Even the project's spokeperson, singer Pou Hsueh-liang
The city government attempted to distribute sample trash bags and discount coupons during the trial period by utilizing the heads of local boroughs and neighborhoods. Unfortunately, these local officials were even less enthusiastic about handing out these materials than they were about distributing Lien Chan's
The city government keeps saying the program won't be a burden on residents. Officials say the new fee system will enable the city to put the trash money into a special account set up to improve waste-disposal procedures. However, since no one yet knows whether the garbage -- in the bright new blue bags -- will end up at an incinerator or somewhere else, it is difficult to convince residents that the new system will be much of an improvement over the old one.
Another major drawback is that the policy is only being implemented in Taipei City. Neighboring Taipei County has not adopted a similar measure. Undoubtedly a large volume of trash is going to be discarded in Taipei County in order to avoid paying for the city's collection service. More friction between the city and county is sure to result.
Theoretically speaking, special trash bags may be a good idea, but is Taipei City really in a position to implement the new policy? Are residents prepared, either psychologically and practically, to cooperate? Has the city government completed all the relevant instructions and preparations for implementation and rehearsed the actual collection operation? So far, all the answers are in the negative.
Mayor Ma has taken an enormous gamble with this unique waste-disposal scheme. He calls the new policy a "Mission Impossible." We really don't want to see him fail. But he needs a better scriptwriter and director if he wants to have a box-office hit -- not to mention avoiding seeing the new program "self-destruct in five seconds."
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