The Taipei City Government may have declared the new trash collection policy a success after only one day, but there is one aspect of the scheme that has been overlooked.
To receive your free pack of bags and voucher coupons you were instructed to go to your neighborhood warden. What some people found out was that the procedure did not entail showing any identification or housing registration. You just told them an address (your own, in theory) and signed on the line and went away with your bags and coupons.
That is unless someone else had signed next to your address and taken the bags that were reserved for you, which is what happened to me.
Did Mayor Ma not think this whole thing through carefully enough? I think not. I am waiting to see what other gem of incompetence will come of the new trash collection system.
Mark Wolfe
Taipei
Garbage down the drain
I just got off the phone with the guy in Taipei who handles sales of "Insinkerator" products for Taiwan. Insinkerator makes a device which installs beneath the sink drain to allow the disposal of food waste. We spoke at length about why the product is unknown here.
The salesman told me that septic systems are not common, prohibiting installation of the device. Much of Taiwan still functions like the rest of Asia in this regard, with open ditches to move all manner of waste.
Further discussions with neighbors and friends revealed that up to 60 percent of household waste is food-related. Add to this the plastic bags needed to carry it down the many flights of stairs to the singing garbage trucks.
Meanwhile, mountains of garbage grow in Taiwan. It sounds to me like someone needs to discover this inexpensive method to reduce a serious problem. Government incentives might help and building codes that require septic systems as in the US and other developed countries.
Recent cases of cholera in Taiwan are a reminder of the importance of proper sewage systems. Taiwan leads the world and Asia in democracy, initiative and creative business pursuits. Garbage seems so simple in light of such magnificent achievements.
Bill Parkhurst
Taichung
Reading between the lines
Mr Martelli's suggestion that my letters (Letters, June 22, Page 8) conceal hatred is far beyond what can be gleaned from the letters themselves.
It is not entirely clear to me why Martelli tried to introduce religion into the discussion.
I do not subscribe to dogmatism of whatever coloration. I think that whatever is conceived in the lofty heights of religious and philosophical meditation or scientific research has to finally be explained in terms of common sense and be applied to our daily lives.
Martelli's letter is based on "suspicions" and his assessment of my motives (pseudo-impartiality, etc) appear to me like an attempt to sidestep the issue.
Ralph Jensen
Tamsui
Open letter to Kofi Annan
Delegates from democratic countries around the world gathered in Warsaw to discuss human rights and democratic institutions.
Despite the fact that Taiwan recently held its second free and fair presidential election and achieved a peaceful transition from the over 40 years of domination by a single party, Taiwan has no representation in the UN.
When the UN Secretary General was cornered by Taiwan's representative in Poland, he dodged the issue by insisting that the UN will adhere to the "one China" policy.
The UN, as THE international organization which advocated the principle of self-determination, should insist that the future of Taiwan be decided by the people of Taiwan.
As the UN Secretary General, Mr Kofi Annan should be the first and foremost person abiding to this code of humanity.
Joshua K. Tin
Chairman Executive Committee,
Democratic Progressive Party
America East Chapter
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