The Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp (THSRC) yesterday said it is stepping up efforts to curb carbon emissions by recycling plastic bottles collected at high-speed rail stations and turning them into different products, including employees’ uniforms.
Recyclable plastic bottles and microwavable food containers account for a majority of the waste found at high-speed rail stations, statistics from the high-speed rail operator showed.
Photo: CNA
As THSRC began implementing its “100% THSRC Recycled” initiative last year, it set a goal of gradually replacing employees’ uniforms with ones made from eco-friendly fabrics, the company said.
Plastic bottles can be reprocessed to produce recycled polyester (PET), which can be used to make uniforms for THSRC employees, it said, adding that it would begin replacing shirts worn by station and onboard personnel with ones made by PET first.
The company distributes about 18,600 sets of new uniforms per year, including those for new employees and those requested by existing employees.
In a news conference, the company presented uniforms, baseball caps, pens and foldable umbrellas made from plastic bottles collected from high-speed rail stations nationwide.
It also showed shopping bags made from recycled microwavable food containers.
THSRC president James Jeng (鄭光遠) said the company has since March last year partnered with Taiwanese start-up Raingo offer umbrella-sharing services using these eco-friendly umbrellas.
He added that the service would be available in its 12 stations across the nation as well as Taoyuan and Taipei MRT stations and 500 rental shops owned by Raingo.
The company has implemented other plastic-reducing measures, such as replacing plastic covers of the seat’s headrest with ones made by wood pulp fiber and using reinforced paper lids on hot beverage cups.
New train window shutters are designed to block 92 to 95 percent of sunlight, allowing the onboard air-conditioning system to operate more efficiently.
Last year, the company said that it successfully decreased waste by 17 tonnes, which reduced carbon emissions by nearly 48 tonnes.
Meanwhile, the company would soon build its second vehicle maintenance facility at its Zuoying (左營) depot in Kaohsiung using water-conservation design and low-carbon construction materials.
With an open roof and three-dimensional vents, the air inside the facility would circulate freely, reducing reliance on air-conditioning, the company said.
About 3,660 solar panels are to be installed on the rooftop of the facility, which would collectively generate a peak power output of 1,318 kilowatts.
The facility, which is scheduled to begin operations in December 2027, would increase the rail operator’s maintenance capacity from 38 trains to 47, with the maximum number of trains parking in the depot rising from 44 to 50, the company said.
Separately, the company unveiled its track geometry inspection vehicle, which it said has greatly facilitated its track maintenance work and improved safety.
The vehicle, which the company procured from Vienna-based track maintenance machine manufacturer Plasser & Theurer, has been in use since 2023, allowing the company to detect visible anomalies on the rail surface, such as missing rail fasteners and damaged parts. The company records this data and uses it to plan maintenance operations, it said.
Greenpeace yesterday said that it is to appeal a decision last month by the Taipei High Administrative Court to dismiss its 2021 lawsuit against the Ministry of Economic Affairs over “loose” regulations governing major corporate electricity consumers. The climate-related lawsuit — the first of its kind in Taiwan — sought to require the government to enforce higher green energy thresholds on major corporations to reduce emissions in light of climate change and an uptick in extreme weather. The suit, filed by Greenpeace East Asia, the Environmental Jurists Association and four individual plaintiffs, was dismissed on May 8 following four years of litigation. The
STAY AWAY: An official said people should avoid disturbing snakes, as most do not actively attack humans, but would react defensively if threatened Taitung County authorities yesterday urged the public to stay vigilant and avoid disturbing snakes in the wild, following five reported snakebite cases in the county so far this year. Taitung County Fire Department secretary Lin Chien-cheng (林建誠) said two of the cases were in Donghe Township (東河) and involved the Taiwan habus, one person was bit by a Chinese pit viper near the South Link Railway and the remaining two were caused by unidentified snakes. He advised residents near fields to be cautious of snakes hiding in shady indoor areas, especially when entering or leaving their homes at night. In case of a
A tropical disturbance off the southeastern coast of the Philippines might become the first typhoon of the western Pacific typhoon season, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The system lacks a visible center and how it would develop is only likely to become clear on Sunday or Monday, the CWA said, adding that it was not yet possible to forecast the potential typhoon's effect on Taiwan. The American Meteorological Society defines a tropical disturbance as a system made up of showers and thunderstorms that lasts for at least 24 hours and does not have closed wind circulation.
DIPLOMACY: It is Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo’s first visit to Taiwan since he took office last year, while Eswatini’s foreign minister is also paying a visit A delegation led by Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo arrived in Taiwan yesterday afternoon and is to visit President William Lai (賴清德) today. The delegation arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport at 4:55pm, and was greeted by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). It is Arevalo’s first trip to Taiwan since he took office last year, and following the visit, he is to travel to Japan to celebrate the 90th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Arevalo said at the airport that he is very glad to make the visit to Taiwan, adding that he brings an important message of responsibility
RSS