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Taiwan’s Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) is set to propose a new amendment this year that will consolidate the existing Waste Disposal Act and the Resource Recycling Act into a single "Resources Recycling Promotion Act". This will encourage waste reduction at the source and promote green design and boost recycling in Taiwan.
The Waste Disposal Act and the Resource Recycling Act are basic laws in Taiwan’s waste management and recycling system. The consolidation of the two acts has been under discussion for 18 years since 2005. In 2013, a draft of the new Act was reviewed by the Executive Yuan, however criticized as being hastily assembled. In 2016, then-Deputy Director-General Chang Tzi-chin said the EPA planned to completely overhaul the draft Act, but no further action was taken. In March this year, the EPA held a series of meetings focusing on promoting the legislation of the new Act.
Through the new Act, the EPA plans to categorize waste into three groups based on their potential for recycling and set waste reduction targets for manufacturers, producers, sellers, and buyers. In addition, specific products will be required to comply with green design. For instance, food packaging shall be made of a single material, and electronic products shall be easy to repair. The EPA will also encourage organizations and schools to prioritize circular procurement and reuse.
The EPA will begin collecting public feedback in the first half of this year and is expected to formally propose the legislation in the second half. Environmental groups hopes that the new draft be more comprehensive and consider the gaps between the two acts, rather than just a hasty merger.
