With the implementation of a new environmental policy that limits the use of plastic bags and utensils coming into effect today, Environmental Protection Administrator Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) said yesterday that the policy is aimed at changing consumers' habit and is not intended to attack or harm the plastic industry.
At public hearing held yesterday morning at the Legislative Yuan, representatives of the plastics industry asked for a five-year delay of the implementation.
PHOTO: CHU YU-PIN, TAIPEI TIMES
Ma Chien-hsiang (馬千翔), an unemployed plastics-industry worker, kneeled down in front of Hau, asking for a job so his family could survive.
"I'm just a laborer. I want to survive," Ma said to Hau.
Hau, however, promised to ensure his right to work.
"I promise to give you a job for survival," Hau said to Ma.
At the hearing, Hau said that real reason behind the policy was so that Taiwan's environmental problems could be lessened.
"We set up the policy because we love Taiwan," Hau said.
Legislators attending the public hearing, however, said the policy misled the public because it would result in the over-reliance on paper materials.
Legislators said the procedure of making paper materials not only consumes more water but also creates more pollution than that of making plastic products. Thirteen TSU legislators are all in favor of a five-year delay.
Beginning today, the second stage of the policy will come into effect, with the ban on free bags and utensils extending to department stores, supermarkets, fast-food restaurants, convenience stores and almost every type of retailer, except street vendors.
The first stage of the highly controversial policy was launched on July 1 last year, when all government-run stores were banned from providing free plastic shopping bags to customers.
Three months later, a ban on disposable utensils and food containers was imposed at government-operated grocery stores and restaurants.
Chen Hsiung-wen
"After a six-week trial, punishments for any offenses will start on Feb. 16," Chen said.
Yesterday afternoon, EPA officials kept in touch with representatives from the plastics industry, discussing possible strategies to solve possible related unemployment problems.
Chen admitted that official records pertaining to the industry did not reflect the real situation because many small plastic manufactures were not registered.
The EPA estimated that the policy would only lead to about 10,000 unemployed workers. However, representatives of the plastics industry claimed that more than 50,000 workers would be affected.
According to the EPA, the Cabinet will spend about NT$1.58 billion next year on creating 8,400 jobs for workers in the plasatics industry who have been laid off.
Representatives of the plastics industry, however, plan to carry out a huge demonstration in Taipei again on Jan. 19 to highlight what they call the unfairness of the policy.
Hau said that the policy would be carried out on schedule, no matter what.
"It matters not only for the common interest but also for Taiwan's sustainable development," Hau said.
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
A magnitude 4.1 earthquake struck eastern Taiwan's Hualien County at 2:23pm today, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA). The epicenter of the temblor was 5.4 kilometers northeast of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 34.9 km, according to the CWA. The earthquake's intensity, which gauges the actual effect of a temblor, was the highest in Hualien County, where it measured 2 on Taiwan's 7-tier intensity scale. The quake also measured an intensity of 1 in Yilan county, Taichung, Nantou County, Changhua County and Yunlin County, the CWA said. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by
RSS