Taiwan has decided to revise its plastic reduction rules, setting new targets that scale back reliance on outright bans and place greater emphasis on economic incentives and circular economy measures.
In 2018, the island pledged to completely phase out four major single-use plastic items, such as straws, beverage cups, shopping bags and disposable tableware, by 2030, with full restrictions to be in place by 2025, but officials have now acknowledged that those goals will not be met.
The Ministry of Environment said last week that it would instead aim to cut the use of single-use petrochemical plastic products by 5 per cent by 2030 and 10 per cent by 2035, using 2024 as a baseline. The revised framework expands regulation to six categories by adding retail packaging and e-commerce packaging to the original four items.
Environment minister Peng Chi-ming said the government had made efforts over the past seven years but was unable to reach the earlier targets, citing changes in consumer behaviour after the Covid-19 pandemic. While some progress had been achieved, he said, demand for single-use paper containers and packaging linked to online shopping continued to grow.
Rather than relying on what he described as a “restrictions-only” approach, Peng said the new strategy would introduce economic incentives and prioritise action across six key settings, including government agencies, large companies, retailers, public venues, markets and wholesale outlets.
Taiwan produces a large and growing amount of plastic waste, with total discarded plastic in 2023 reaching about 2.54 million tonnes, of which roughly 1.09 million tonnes were recycled and about 1.41 million tonnes were incinerated.
Despite having one of the world’s most developed recycling systems, consumption of single-use items remains high. The average Taiwanese person uses around 700 plastic bags a year and billions of single-use cups are consumed annually, and the share of plastics in overall municipal waste has been rising in recent years.
Benchmarking EU trends
The revised policy draws on European Union trends and places stronger emphasis on reuse and recycling systems, according to the ministry.
Discounts for customers who bring their own cups for takeaway drinks will continue, and from this year will apply across Taiwan’s five offshore island counties, regardless of whether beverage outlets are part of national chains.
The ministry is also expanding circular cup rental and return systems at tourist attractions and sports venues, and encouraging major corporations to join shared cup washing and logistics networks.
For plastic straws, the government will promote lid-based “sip cups” and alternative materials. An official certification system for alternative straw materials will be introduced this year to address concerns over “greenwashing”, the ministry said.
Disposable tableware remains a key focus. The government aims for public institutions, large corporations and chain restaurants to stop providing single-use tableware for dine-in customers by 2030. From this year, chain restaurants and large firms will be encouraged to adopt reusable, washable tableware, while government bodies and large events are expected to introduce circular container systems from 2027.
Food delivery platforms will also be asked to create dedicated eco-friendly sections highlighting vendors that adopt greener packaging, along with environmental ratings to guide consumer choice.
Retail and e-commerce packaging, newly added to the regulatory framework, will initially rely on incentives rather than mandates. Retailers will be encouraged to offer unpackaged produce with longer shelf lives, reusable packaging options, lighter designs, single-material packaging and recycled content. The government also plans to ban PVC packaging materials through regulation and roll out a “Green Package” programme aimed at eliminating unnecessary packaging without affecting product functionality.
For online shopping, the ministry plans to build a circular packaging supply chain by promoting minimal or packaging-free shipping, reusable packaging and sustainable materials. A smart software system to optimise packaging and reduce waste is expected to be developed sometime this year.
Taiwan’s move followed South Korea’s new roadmap to cut plastic waste by more than 30 per cent by 2030.
Seoul unveiled plans in December to cut that figure to around 7 million tonnes by 2030 by reducing plastic use by 1 million tonnes and expanding recycled feedstock by 2 million tonnes.
Measures include the phased increase of a waste levy on plastic products, which has been frozen at KRW150 (US$0.11) per kilogram since 2012, to better reflect actual disposal costs and industry output.
The government also planned to introduce a so-called “separate cup pricing” scheme from next year, under which receipts for drinks would itemise the cost of disposable cups, typically around KRW200 (US$0.14), instead of bundling it into beverage prices.
While specific global rankings vary by the metric used, studies have previously estimated that Asian nations accounted for up to about 86 per cent of plastic emissions to the ocean in past assessments, reflecting high volumes of mismanaged waste combined with densely populated coastlines and river systems.
China remains the largest producer and consumer of plastics globally, contributing a substantial share of plastic materials and waste, with packaging alone accounting for a large slice of that burden.
