Waste management has become a significant environmental concern in recent years. To address waste disposal issues, the MOENV has been actively promoting various measures, including continuous efforts to reduce waste at the source, assistance to local governments in increasing waste processing capacity, and coordination with other government agencies to establish more facilities for industrial waste processing and to convert high-heat waste into fuel, addressing waste disposal issues through diversified and waste-to-energy means.
Taiwan's waste incineration facilities process 6.5 million metric tons a year, with household waste making up 4.7 million metric tons and industrial waste 1.8 million metric tons. However, the annual amount of household waste that needs to be processed is 4.9 million metric tons. Due to competition from industrial waste, there are 0.2 metric tons of household waste that cannot be incinerated each year and must be disposed of in landfills or compacted. While these are considered appropriate waste management methods, local authorities must properly handle landfill coverage and management.
To address the waste disposal problem, the MOENV is implementing various strategies, including promoting waste reduction at the source, assisting local governments in increasing waste processing capacity, and coordinating with other government agencies to establish more facilities for industrial waste processing and convert high-heat waste into fuels.
Regarding waste reduction at the source, the MOENV has implemented measures such as regulating the use of plastic bags, disposable tableware, beverage cups, plastic trays, and packaging boxes, and encouraging the public to carry personal utensils. In recent years, it has also promoted waste reduction in lodging toiletries and online shopping packaging, and is continuing to promote control measures in various areas, including guiding changes in product design, incorporating container-circulating services, and material restrictions.
As for assisting local governments to increase waste processing capacity, the annual incineration capacity has been maintained at 6.5 million metric tons. This year, the Taitung Incineration Plant and the gasification furnace of Taiwan Cement in Hualien have begun operation, and the Hsinchu County Incineration Plant is expected to be completed by the end of next year. These developments will increase the annual processing capacity by 270,000 metric tons, gradually relieving the pressure on waste disposal. Additionally, with the future upgrade of the Tainan City Chengxi Incineration Plant, the total incineration capacity is estimated to increase by 500,000 metric tons per year starting from 2028, reaching an annual capacity of 7 million metric tons.
To address the issue of industrial waste competing with household waste for incineration processing, the MOENV has worked with the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) and other agencies to assess industrial waste capacity and propose processing capacity enhancement measures. Between 2022 and 2025, the MOENV plans to establish 12 additional industrial waste processing facilities, with an estimated increase in capacity of 485,000 metric tons per year. Furthermore, it has coordinated with the MOEA and the National Science and Technology Council to allocate 27.41 hectares of land zoned for environmental use to enhance capacity for industrial waste processing and gradually divert industrial waste away from incineration facilities.
In addition, for high-heat waste, mechanical sorting will be used to separate materials with high heat value from waste, and convert them into solid recovered fuel as an alternative fuel for boilers, cogeneration plants, coal-fired power plants, or cement kilns, relieving the burden on incineration facilities.
The MOENV stated that it had successfully secured approval from the Executive Yuan for the second phase of the diversified waste management plan. Over the six years from 2023 to 2028, the central government will allocate NT$9.8 billion to assist local authorities in addressing waste management issues through diversified means.
Soureces：MOENV
