From 2025, hotels in Taiwan would be restricted from supplying single-use toiletries unless they are specifically requested, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) said on Monday.
Under the new guidelines, which the EPA announced on its Web site, liquid toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and lotion would have to be provided in bottles with a volume of at least 180ml.
Meanwhile, disposable items such as combs, razors, toothbrushes, toothpaste and shower caps would no longer be offered in guests’ rooms, although hotels would be allowed to provide them on request, the EPA said.
Photo courtesy of the Kaohsiung Tourism Bureau via CNA
The regulations would not apply to hotel facilities outside of guest rooms, such as spas or swimming pools, the agency said.
The EPA reviewed the new regulations in January and initially said that stage one of the plan would be implemented on July 1, which did not happen.
The implementation date was changed to Jan. 1, 2025, to give the estimated 14,500 affected hotels, bed and breakfast facilities and catered campsites enough time to adapt, Wang Yueh-pin (王嶽斌), executive secretary of the EPA’s Recycling Fund Management Board, said in an interview on Monday.
By mandating the use of larger, reusable bottles for toiletries in hotels, the EPA estimated that plastic waste from smaller, disposable bottles could be cut by about 2,100 tonnes per year.
Hotels found contravening the rules would face a fine of NT$1,200 to NT$6,000, with the possibility of further penalties if no improvements are made, the EPA said.
The first global hotel Keys Selection by the Michelin Guide includes four hotels in Taiwan, Michelin announced yesterday. All four received the “Michelin One Key,” indicating guests are to experience a “very special stay” at any of the locations as the establishments are “a true gem with personality. Service always goes the extra mile, and the hotel provides much more than others in its price range.” Of the four hotels, three are located in Taipei and one in Taichung. In Taipei, the One Key accolades were awarded to the Capella Taipei, Kimpton Da An Taipei and Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Capella Taipei was described by
The Taichung District Court yesterday confirmed its final ruling that the marriage between teenage heir Lai (賴) and a man surnamed Hsia (夏) was legally invalid, preventing Hsia from inheriting Lai’s NT$500 million (US$16.37 million) estate. The court confirmed that Hsia chose not to appeal the civil judgement after the court handed down its ruling in June, making the decision final. In the June ruling, the court said that Lai, 18, and Hsia, 26, showed “no mutual admiration before the marriage” and that their interactions were “distant and unfamiliar.” The judge concluded that the couple lacked the “true intention of
EVA Airways today confirmed the death of a flight attendant on Saturday upon their return to Taiwan and said an internal investigation has been launched, as criticism mounted over a social media post accusing the airline of failing to offer sufficient employee protections. According to the post, the flight attendant complained of feeling sick on board a flight, but was unable to take sick leave or access medical care. The crew member allegedly did not receive assistance from the chief purser, who failed to heed their requests for medical attention or call an ambulance once the flight landed, the post said. As sick
INDUSTRY: Beijing’s latest export measures go beyond targeting the US and would likely affect any country that uses Chinese rare earths or related tech, an academic said Taiwanese industries could face significant disruption from China’s newly tightened export controls on rare earth elements, as much of Taiwan’s supply indirectly depends on Chinese materials processed in Japan, a local expert said yesterday. Kristy Hsu (徐遵慈), director of the Taiwan ASEAN Studies Center at the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research, said that China’s latest export measures go far beyond targeting the US and would likely affect any country that uses Chinese rare earths or related technologies. With Japan and Southeast Asian countries among those expected to be hit, Taiwan could feel the impact through its reliance on Japanese-made semi-finished products and