Styrofoam manufacturers on Friday said they were against a proposed ban on Styrofoam cups by the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) that is expected to take effect next year.
Speaking to lawmakers serving on the legislature’s Economics Committee who on Friday visited the Dafa Industrial Park (大發工業區) in Kaohsiung, Telung Polylong Co (大隆保麗龍公司) chairman Chuang I-luang (莊義隆) said that Styrofoam has long been stigmatized in Taiwan, while it has been widely accepted in other countries, such as the US.
“There is a modernized and well-established system for recycling and reusing Styrofoam and the industry would, under the guidance of the Industrial Development Bureau, form a Styrofoam recycling association to comply with environmental policies,” he said.
The lawmakers visited the park to consult with Styrofoam manufacturers on Styrofoam cup policies.
The EPA announced the proposed ban in January and drafted measures restricting the use of expanded foam plastic to manufacture drink containers such as cups, of which more than 200 million are used per year, but only about 20 percent are recycled.
“The company is one of only three manufacturers in the world that produce food-grade Styrofoam,” Chuang said, adding that the public perception that Styrofoam is a main contributor to environmental hazards is an outdated idea.
The latest technologies developed to recycle and reuse Styrofoam are environmentally friendly and Styrofoam cups are commonly used as coffee containers in countries like the US, he said, reiterating that the industry is willing to establish a Styrofoam recycling association to join forces with the government to deal with the issue.
The meeting between lawmakers and manufacturers reached several conclusions: Room for development must be allowed for the Styrofoam industry; materials that meet food container standards can be used as such; the EPA would not prohibit the use of such materials; and there must be a comprehensive recycling system, the ministry said.
Also, standards for industrial recycling have to be applied to the recycling of food-grade Styrofoam and the EPA should draw up a thorough Styrofoam recycling program.
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
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