Local paper producers have pledged to step up investment in the research and development of technologies that could enable Taiwan to fully recycle its paper waste of 140,000 tonnes per year.
Taiwanese use about 8 billion paper containers per year, and many people assume that they can be fully recycled, the Environmental Protection Administration said.
Despite government efforts to raise awareness about the correct disposal of garbage, 12 to 15 percent of items collected for paper recycling are not suitable, according to the companies involved in the effort, which include Cheng Loong Corp, Chung Hwa Pulp Corp.
Corporate representatives said that laminated and non-laminated paper items must be recycled separately, adding that only the latter can be recycled into containers for food.
Recycling laminated items is more complicated, as the layers have to be separated, they said.
Separating the layers during recycling does not cause environmental damage, Cheng Loong said.
However, it is easiest to use fresh pulp to make paper containers for food, it added.
Cheng Loong said it last year recycled 30,000 tonnes of laminated paper products, adding that materials used in their insulation layers were processed into fuel to power paper mills.
Chung Hwa said products sold under its CircuWell brand, which are mainly exported or sold to airlines, are easier to recycle into paper cups and other containers.
Its products use a heat and oil-resistant coating that is different from insulation materials used by other companies, the company said, adding that its products meet food safety regulations in Taiwan and the US.
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