Lifestyle changes coupled with the rise of food delivery and online shopping have caused a significant increase in the amount of disposable material and packaging waste generated by the public. The Environmental Ministry has responded by mandating more frequent garbage bag inspections since July 1, and calls upon the public to be more mindful about sorting recyclables from their trash.
Li I-hua (李宜樺), Director of the Sustainable Consumption and Recycling Division in the Ministry’s Resource Recycling Department, explained that there are three checkpoints for garbage bag inspections. He said that if garbage truck operators are found to have a certain proportion of recyclables in their bags, the entire vehicle is turned away, and may even be prohibited from entering the incineration plant for a period of time. Li said that, through this mechanism, an estimated 31,215 tons of unburnable garbage should be reduced each year.
In addition to strengthening waste classification, the Environmental Ministry is promoting source reduction. It is partnering with local environmental protection bureaus to encourage traditional market vendors to avoid providing customers with plastic bags, set up recyclable bag distribution points, and otherwise incentivize shoppers to prepare their own shopping bags.