The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) is considering giving hoteliers and bed-and-breakfast operators at least a one-year grace period to comply with the government’s new policy of limiting the use of single-use amenities, after many of them reported that they are unfamiliar with the details of the policy.
The agency made the announcement yesterday after discussing the new policy with tourism industry representatives.
Single-use amenities, as defined by the EPA, include shampoo, conditioner, shower gel or lotion contained in a package smaller than 180ml, as well as hairbrushes, toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, shower caps and single-use slippers.
Photo: Wu Po-hsuan, Taipei Times
The first phase of the policy, which was originally scheduled to begin on July 1, would require hoteliers to offer single-use amenities only when requested by guests.
In the second phase, hoteliers would be asked to give at least a 5 percent price difference between rooms offering amenities and those that do not. Local environmental protection officials would decide when the second phase is to be implemented.
Some hoteliers said in the meeting that many hotels have only one person at the service counter due to a severe labor shortage in the industry.
Hotel managers themselves would sometimes need to deliver amenities to customers, if many consumers are not clear about the new policy, they said.
Others said that the agency need not implement the policy in two phases, but that the government would need to spend a longer time raising awareness of the issue.
Consumers should be informed about the 5 percent room price difference when making hotel reservations, they said.
Businesses printing logos on hotel amenities said that they are hoping for a transitional period of at least one year, as they need time to consider closing their business, liquidating inventories and putting together severance packages.
Others raised hygiene issues if hotels offer reusable slippers.
The Society of Wilderness said that some people do not want to stay in hotels that offer amenities, but such a choice is not available to them.
“Others told us that they do not like to use amenities in hotels, but such items are included in the room price,” the society said. “Housekeeping staff still throw away some of the unused amenities.”
A New York-based NGO has launched a global initiative to rename the nation’s overseas missions, most of which operate under the name "Taipei," to "Taiwan Representative Office (TRO)," according to a news release. Ming Chiang (江明信), CEO of Hello Taiwan, announced the campaign at a news conference in Berlin on Monday, coinciding with the World Forum held from Monday through Wednesday, the institution stated in the release. Speaking at the event, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Huang Jie (黃捷) said she believed this renaming campaign would enable the international community to see Taiwan
DEFENSE: The US should cancel the US visas or green cards of relatives of KMT and TPP lawmakers who have been blocking the budget, Grant Newsham said A retired US Marine Corps officer has suggested canceling the US green cards and visas of relatives of opposition Taiwanese lawmakers who have been stalling the review of a proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.7 billion) special defense budget. The Executive Yuan has proposed the budget for major weapons purchases over eight years, from this year to 2033. However, opposition lawmakers have refused to review the proposal, demanding that President William Lai (賴清德) first appear before the Legislative Yuan to answer questions about the proposed budget. On Thursday last week, 37 bipartisan US lawmakers sent a letter to Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), the heads
TOO DANGEROUS: The families agreed to suspend crewed recovery efforts that could put rescuers in danger from volcanic gases and unstable terrain The bodies of two Taiwanese tourists and a Japanese pilot have been located inside a volcanic crater, Japanese authorities said yesterday, nearly a month after a sightseeing helicopter crashed during a flight over southwestern Japan. Drone footage taken at the site showed three bodies near the wreckage of the aircraft inside a crater on Mount Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture, police and fire officials said. The helicopter went missing on Jan. 20 and was later found on a steep slope inside the Nakadake No. 1 Crater, about 50m below the rim. Authorities said that conditions at the site made survival highly unlikely, and ruled
HYGIENE: People should wash their hands before eating or preparing food, and clean contaminated surfaces with a diluted bleach solution, the CDC said More than 7,500 people sought medical attention for diarrhea during the first three days of the Lunar New Year holiday, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday, adding that nearly 90 percent of the cluster diarrhea outbreaks were caused by norovirus. Norovirus-triggered symptoms drew public attention when a temple manager in Tainan on Wednesday threw up during President William Lai’s (賴清德) visit, with part of the vomit landing on Lai’s left shoulder and arm. The temple manager later said he had contracted norovirus from family members. Hospitals reported 7,581 visits due to diarrhea on the first three days of the Lunar New
RSS