The Yushan National Park Administration has proposed new policies to reduce the impact of plastic waste on the ecology, after microplastics were found in protected species living in the park.
Greenpeace on Tuesday published the results of a survey it conducted, saying that many protected species in Taiwan and their habitats carried microplastics, including Formosan black bears and Formosan yellow-throated martens at the park.
The park on Saturday cited Greenpeace as saying that microplastics were found in Formosan black bear feces in the park’s Dafen Mountain (大分山) area.
Photo courtesy of the Yushan National Park Headquarters
The concentration of microplastics was the highest in the feces of Formosan yellow-throated martens in the park’s Tataka (塔塔加) area, the survey showed.
Formosan yellow-throated martens have in the past few years frequently been seen in the Tataka Recreation Area eating food scraps or garbage left by people, the park said.
Many visitors to the area leave behind food waste such as fruit peels, egg shells and bamboo leaves used to wrap zongzi (粽子, glutinous rice dumplings), believing that the materials would decompose, which is not the case in mountainous areas where temperatures are low, it said.
The administration said it plans to ban the sale of bottled water and stop using disposable tableware, as well as promote and strictly enforce regulations to reduce waste and prevent littering.
It has installed eco-friendly trash cans in the park and has been urging visitors not to leave their garbage in the mountains to prevent harming animals.
People who litter could face a fine of up to NT$3,000 in accordance with the the National Park Act (國家公園法), it added.
The park, established in April 1985, is rich in biodiversity, as it is home to many wild animals and protected species in Taiwan.
The subtropical alpine park spans more than 100,000 hectares across Kaohsiung, as well as Nantou, Chiayi and Hualian counties. It is centered around Yushan (玉山) and covers the Yushan Mountain Range, as well as Siouguluanshan (秀姑巒山), Mabolasishan (馬博拉斯山), Dabajianshan (大霸尖山), Sinkangshan (新康山) and Guanshan (關山).
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