Since January 2003, this city has been promoting various environmental protection policies, such as garbage not to fall to the ground and resource recycling. In order to enhance kitchen waste recycling and promote waste reduction and resource recycling rates, this city started to implement the policy of mandatory garbage classification in April 2005 and kitchen waste recycling in July 2003, hoping to achieve the goal of waste reduction, effectively recycle resources, build a resource-circulating society, so that we can gradually achieve the policy goal of "full classification and zero waste". At present, according to the mandatory garbage classification regulations of Environmental Protection Administration of Executive Yuan, garbage in this city is divided into three categories: "general waste", "resource waste" and "kitchen waste".
Current status of resource recycling in Taoyuan City:
In line with relevant policy promotion and the formulation of multiple plans, this city has effectively implemented resource recycling. The resource recycling rate has increased from 36.3% in 2009 to 59.94% in 2019, with gradual growth every year. In 2011, we first strengthened the inspection of broken garbage bags to effectively reduce the amount of garbage generated per person per day and then carried out source reduction related promotion activities, gradually integrating communities, schools and other civil resources to participate in the promotion work and cultivating public environmental awareness through the neighborhood assessment mechanism. Since 2016, we have been actively promoting the "Taole Resource Recycling Station" and have added value to the Taole Card for recycling money. We have also hired a large army of recyclists to assist in recycling classification. In addition, this city has also organized special exhibitions on waste recycling and treatment of circular economy and has strengthened publicity through bag breaking inspection and source reduction as well as through large-scale events (Agricultural Expo, Landscape Art Festival, etc.).
Source：Ministry of Environment
Special practices for resource recycling in Taoyuan City:
This city is committed to promoting the policy of “recycling and resource circulation” and strengthening the promotion of student environmental education and diversified public publicity. This city has strengthened special practices for resource recycling as follows:
A. Customized information sessions and activities:
- Pesticide promotion: Pesticide waste containers are items that should be recycled as announced by the Environmental Protection Administration. In addition to being handed over to recyclers in each district or the environmental health inspection brigade, they can also be recycled through the farmers' associations. There are four recycling companies in this city with pesticide (including environmental medicine) waste container registration certificates.
- Promotion through foreigners: To promote resource recycling and convey environmental protection to the daily life of the general public, discussions are held with foreign volunteers from the National Immigration Agency. Education is conducted on the city’s resource recycling policy, allowing foreign lecturers to bring the city’s resource recycling concepts into the living habits of different nationalities through education and training. This enables foreign students and workers to quickly understand the city’s resource recycling practices. In addition, we have also produced resource recycling promotional materials and conducted promotional activities for new immigrant residents and foreign college students. Moreover, we will add multilingual signs when setting up recycling stations in hot spots where foreign migrant workers gather.
- Organize inter-school resource recycling-related competitions, such as the recycling competition of waste dry batteries and information items among primary schools.
B. Village recycling competition:
- In order to strengthen local grassroots resource recycling work, we make use of the key influence of district heads and village wardens in their roles as local leaders and their familiarity with the local area. Resource recycling work is promoted in conjunction with village management units to achieve the goals of national eco-life policy. The project also aims to enhance the local vision of district heads and village wardens and to strengthen their image in local environmental construction and public service.
C. Taole Resource Recycling Station and Recyclist Care Plan:
- The Taole Resource Recycling Station project, launched in 2016, has deeply rooted the concept of "turning garbage into gold" in the community. To date, it has expanded to as many as 156 stations. The average proportion of Taole Resource Recycling Stations in each district has reached more than 30%, making it more convenient for the public to carry out recycling work. Citizens can bring their recyclables to nearby recycling stations for sale. The amount corresponding to the recycling items is stored in the Citizen Card. As the Citizen Card has the function of an EasyCard, it can be used in convenience stores, major shopping malls, and public transportation. Alternatively, citizens can collect points for gifts. All the incentives are to encourage people to implement resource recycling and waste classification.(Taole Resource Recycling Station Inquiry)
- The “Recyclist Care Plan” policy cooperated by the city and the Environmental Protection Administration provides additional rewards for individual recycling operators from low- and middle-income households or poor families in Taoyuan City. In 2019, a trial run was conducted for the first time, benefiting a total of 258 people and giving out a subsidy of NT$430,000; in 2020, about NT$5 million was actively sought from the Environmental Protection Administration to expand its implementation. Those who meet the eligibility requirements will receive an additional subsidy of up to NT$5,000 per month. In addition to improving resource recycling efficiency and stabilizing the operation of the recycling treatment system, we also take practical actions to care for and protect vulnerable groups.(Recycleist Care Plan Measures)
D. Resource Recycling Image Transformation Plan:
- Starting in 2006, Taoyuan City launched the “Resource Recycling Image Transformation Plan” to promote the overall image of resource recycling and increase the recycling rate.(For details, please refer to the Resource Recycling Image Transformation Plan)
- The “Sustainable Resource Museum” was established in the Environmental Science and Technology Park in Guanyin District to enable the public to better understand the 3R concept of waste recycling (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) through environmental education.
E. Integration of civil resources:
- In the future, resource recycling will become an important key to the sustainable development of Taoyuan City’s environment. The promotion of resource recycling by the Department of Environmental Protection will move towards the goals of life-oriented, refined and sustainable management. Combining the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) that has emerged in recent years, local enterprises can use their ingenuity to carry out related promotional work. For example, the flea market organized by Carrefour is a good example.
- Taoyuan City encourages private construction and operation of resource recycling sub-classification sheds through the BOO private ownership and private operation method. The resource recycling materials collected and transported from households at the source are sent to the sheds for further sub-classification to improve the quality of resource recycling classification and achieve effective recycling and reuse at the end. At the same time, in order to overcome the problem of insufficient garbage disposal capacity and treatment of kitchen waste and manure fertilizer, the Department of Environmental Protection also completed the bidding selection in 2018 and is about to set up a biomass energy center to properly reuse waste.
Since 2006, Taoyuan City has improved resource recycling or waste reduction related plans every year. In addition to improving the environmental hygiene and overall image of recyclers, we have also integrated property, recyclers, community recycling stations, individual operators and government competent authorities and executive agencies to establish a complete chain cooperation recycling system, which shapes the positive environmental image of various roles in Taoyuan City’s resource recycling system and recycling stations. With the establishment of “Taole Resource Recycling Station”, we have further promoted the overall resource recycling efficiency of Taoyuan City and achieved a triple win goal for the public, the recyclers and the government.
