About 70 percent of campsites are in compliance with new regulations on wastewater that are to go into effect tomorrow, the Ministry of Environment said yesterday.
The regulations are part of a push to ensure that sewage and wastewater from campsites do not affect the environment.
Camp wastewater is similar to household sewage, the Department of Water Quality Protection said, adding that there is a need to improve regulations.
Photo: Wu Chun-feng, Taipei Times
Campsites must handle sewage collection and treatment starting next month, the ministry said.
Department Director-General Wang Yue-bin (王嶽斌) said the regulations treat campsites like ordinary households, seeking to adopt a low-intensity, flexible and friendly management style.
This is in line with “leave nothing behind” camping principles, Wang added.
Local officials would cooperate with tourism authorities to ensure that the regulation is less about enforcement and punishment, and more about promoting environmentally friendly camping practices, such as preparing food in advance, using recyclable products and avoiding disposable utensils, he said.
The goal is to minimize the impact of wastewater on the camping experience, he said, adding that it was a “win-win” policy that protects nature and develops tourism.
There are 1,800 legal campsites in Taiwan, of which 1,700 are near rivers or other bodies of water.
About 70 percent of campsites meet the regulations to be implemented next month, the department said, adding that it would continue to provide guidance regarding wastewater.
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