Hsinchu City Debuts “Sea Breeze Circular Bag” and “Wind City Amulet”; Mayor Kao Calls for Public-Private Alliances for Ocean Sustainability
The Hsinchu City Government held the “Thinking of the Sea with You: Co-creating a Blue Future” ocean protection press conference on the 26th at City Hall. The event featured the premiere of the documentary A New Beginning from the Sea, showcasing the city’s recent milestones in marine waste recycling and resource recovery. It also marked the debut of the “Sea Breeze Circular Bag” and the “Wind City Amulet,” both crafted from recycled discarded fishing nets. Mayor Kao Hung-An attended to express her gratitude to partners across industry, government, academia, and research sectors. She noted that Hsinchu is steadily building an end-to-end circular supply chain, ranging from collection and processing to product design, turning marine debris into practical resources while furthering ocean sustainability.
Mayor Kao stated that discarded fishing nets have long been considered “ghost killers” that threaten marine ecosystems and navigation safety. Over the past three years, the city has actively driven fishing net recovery, retrieving more than 22.15 metric tons stretching over 100,000 meters, thereby establishing a sustainable framework for waste recycling and resource circularity.
Mayor Kao explained that in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals—specifically SDG 14 (Life Below Water), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)—the city collaborated this year with the Plastics Industry Development Center (PIDC) on a marine waste upcycling initiative. Moving away from traditional downcycling, the partnership transforms abandoned fishing nets into functional, beautifully designed products, reshaping public perceptions of marine waste.
Mayor Kao added that having personally participated in beach cleanups, she has witnessed the relentless influx of marine litter firsthand and hopes the public will remain committed to environmental stewardship. The press conference also launched the “Ocean Protection Action Initiative,” bringing together public agencies, private enterprises, schools, and R&D institutions to pledge their commitment to marine waste governance and resource regeneration through technical exchange, resource sharing, and cross-sector collaboration.
Sources: Hsinchu City Government
Mayor Kao stated that discarded fishing nets have long been considered “ghost killers” that threaten marine ecosystems and navigation safety. Over the past three years, the city has actively driven fishing net recovery, retrieving more than 22.15 metric tons stretching over 100,000 meters, thereby establishing a sustainable framework for waste recycling and resource circularity.
Mayor Kao explained that in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals—specifically SDG 14 (Life Below Water), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)—the city collaborated this year with the Plastics Industry Development Center (PIDC) on a marine waste upcycling initiative. Moving away from traditional downcycling, the partnership transforms abandoned fishing nets into functional, beautifully designed products, reshaping public perceptions of marine waste.
Mayor Kao added that having personally participated in beach cleanups, she has witnessed the relentless influx of marine litter firsthand and hopes the public will remain committed to environmental stewardship. The press conference also launched the “Ocean Protection Action Initiative,” bringing together public agencies, private enterprises, schools, and R&D institutions to pledge their commitment to marine waste governance and resource regeneration through technical exchange, resource sharing, and cross-sector collaboration.
Sources: Hsinchu City Government
