Staff Writer, with CNA
Taiwan's recycling business is among the world's best, after a long learning curve in environmental protection over the last 20 years, an Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) official said yesterday.
Executive-Secretary of the EPA's Recycling Fund Management Board Lin Chien-huei (林建輝) said the public's increased awareness of environmental protection issues and the government's policies have helped achieve success for the nation's recycling business.
The government's mandatory garbage sorting policy, measures to keep trash off the streets and the public's cooperation are all praiseworthy, he said.
Former EPA minister Chien You-hsin (簡又新) said the administration was established at a time when the nation was enjoying rapid economic growth and it was recognized that it was required.
The combined efforts of the government and the public has seen the volume of garbage produced decrease from an average 0.939kg per person per day in 2000 to 0.6kg last year, while the number of different categories of items sent for recycling has increased from 10 in 1989 to 33 in 14 categories this year, Lin said.
Among the 33 items being recycled, the nation's performance on discarded tires, lubrication oil for engines, kitchen waste and large home appliances is the best in the world, Lin said.
Lin said the government's policy of collecting recycling processing fees from manufacturers before goods are shipped and using them as subsidies for recycling firms, implemented in 1989, has created a profitable environment for the nation's recycling industry and is another reason for the success of Taiwan's recycling business.
The nation has reached a 100 percent recycling rate for PET bottles, a 75 percent rate for waste tires, 47.8 percent for waste dry cell batteries and 61.3 percent for waste light bulbs. All these rates rank No. 1 in the world, Lin said.
Lin said the Recycling Fund Management Board collects NT$6 billion (US$181 million) in recycling funds every year, while industries involved in the recycling business create more than NT$100 billion in value each year.
The nation's success in recycling attracts more than 10 foreign delegations each year. Germany, the Netherlands, South Africa and Taiwan's diplomatic allies in Central and South America have sent groups to Taiwan, while Japan and China have already implemented trials based on Taiwan's recycling policies on a small scale.
The EPA, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and private enterprises have continued to develop new ways to reuse recycled resources. For example, waste tires can be made into buffing devices, rubber bricks and can also be decomposed to make bio-diesel, Lin said.
Lin said the EPA views the recycling industry highly and is working to increase the number of items that are recycled in order to reach its goal of zero waste.
To further develop the recycling business and to share the nation's experiences with other countries, the government proposed a "Green APEC Opportunity Initiative" plan at the APEC forum held in Sydney last weekend.
The nation will promote its successes in encouraging industrial environmental protection, eco-friendly consumption, clean manufacturing production, pollution control and greenhouse gas emission reductions under the plan.
The plan, whose aim is to provide a platform for an exchange of information on tackling climate change and on clean development for APEC members, was not included in this year's leaders' declaration, but it was accepted at the forum, Lin said, adding that the government also plans to organize a green APEC seminar and an exhibition on clean development next year.
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