MSW management for waste minimization in Taiwan: the last two decades.
Taiwan is the second most densely populated country in the world; its 22.604 million residents (2002) live in an area of 35,967 km2 (628 people/km2). Taiwan's economy has grown rapidly during the last 20 years, resulting in a corresponding increase in the amount of municipal solid waste (MSW). This study describes and evaluates the municipal solid waste management system in Taiwan. The study's results indicate that the amount of MSW began to decline after 1997, when the government enforced aggressive MSW management policies. By 2002, total MSW production had dropped by 27%, and the average daily per capita weight of MSW had fallen from 1.14 kg in 1997 to 0.81 kg in 2002. Summarizing the successful experience of MSW reduction in Taiwan, the most important factor was the government's combining of the MSW collection system with reduction/recycling programs. The second most important factor was the policy of extended producer responsibility, which laid a foundation of recycling by producers and retailers and promoted public recycling.
Lu
Li-Teh
LT
Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Taiwan University, 71, Chou-Shan Road, 10660 Taipei, Taiwan. luliteh@ms13.hinet.net
Hsiao
Teng-Yuan
TY
Shang
Neng-Chou
NC
Yu
Yue-Hwa
YH
Ma
Hwong-Wen
HW
D002947:Cities; D006801:Humans; D011156:Population Density; D011634:Public Health; D011640:Public Policy; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000379:methods*; D013624:Taiwan; D018505:Waste Management / Q000379:methods*