It is a well-known fact that you can never run out of good food in Taiwan.
There is so much more to Taiwan than just bubble tea and smelly tofu.
And the best thing: the prices are freaking cheap.
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You can’t escape from paying over $2 for a bubble tea here, but over there the prices start from below $1!
But as we all know, most of these street food are served using plastic utensils.
Even in restaurants, there are more recyclable utensils used than the regular bowls and cups!
If you were to dine in, your drink will most likely come in a paper cup and your food will be served on a plastic plate.
This is a pretty common sight in the country.
As a half-Taiwanese myself, it is alarming to see the number of plastics used in the country.
Even though recycling is done extensively and vigorously, it is not the perfect solution to the overwhelming amount of waste generated.
And the Taiwanese government had have enough.
According to Channel NewsAsia, by 2030, single-use plastic items will be banned.
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These include things like straws, cups and shopping bags.
It is a governmental effort to reduce waste and pollution.
This is their next step after implementing an extensive recycling programme and charging people for plastic bags in major retail outlets.
In 2017, nearly 200,000 tonnes of plastic containers were recycled.
Meanwhile, in Singapore, the National Environment Agency (NEA) website states that the amount of plastic recycled in 2016 is 59,500 tonnes.
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The recycling rate for plastic was only 7%.
Seems like we got a lot to catch up on!
About the plan
From 2019 (FYI that’s next year), established F&B franchises and fast food chains will be banned from giving out plastic items when consumers dine in.
This will be applicable to all dining outlets in 2020.
Starting from 2025, customers will have to pay extra for all of the plastic items.
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By 2030, a ban will be imposed on all single-use plastic items.
These are the common single-use plastic items used by a Taiwanese each day.
According to Lai Ying-ying, an Environmental Protection Association (EPA) official, a Taiwanese person on average uses 700 plastic bags annually.
The EPA aims to reduce the number to 100 by 2025 and to zero by 2030.
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Sounds ambitious?
You never know!
According to Liberty Times Net, this movement to ban single-use plastic items is the first in Asia.
Taiwan is also the first country in the world to ban the usage of plastic straws.
What we can do
The overwhelming usage of plastic straws has always been a concern among many environmental advocates.
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Over the years, there have been many movements to encourage people to use stainless steel straws instead.
Since the ban is starting to see effects next year, you and I will be affected for sure.
If you want to do a part for the country and for Mother Earth, you can always start by purchasing a straw that you can use pretty much forever.
It’s also a good idea to carry a recyclable bag with you wherever you go, so you don’t have to ask for plastic bags.
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This article was first published on goodyfeed.com
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