As expected, the nationwide level 3 COVID-19 alert greatly increased the nation’s garbage volume, as restrictions led to surges in online shopping, food deliveries and takeout meals.
While this might have been a necessary evil to allow people to survive amid an emergency, the authorities should be preparing in case a similar situation arises.
Online shopping is so convenient that some people might continue the habit even after all of the restrictions are lifted, so rules are needed to ensure that environmental issues are addressed, or the policies fostered in the push to reduce the use of plastics and single-use tableware over the past few years will be drowned out.
Last week, the Taipei Department of Environmental Protection said that in May alone the city produced 10.79 tonnes of recyclable waste, up from 7.05 tonnes a year earlier. A lot of the waste was single-use tableware, paper and plastic. Discarded takeout container waste in the first five months of this year increased 85 percent from a year earlier, the agency said.
Part of the problem is that during the level 3 restrictions, many restaurants refused to fill food containers that people brought with them, fearing that the items might be carrying the virus.
Moreover, many people believe that single-use utensils are safer and restaurants have reported an increase in the number of requests for them.
Such thinking needs to change. The focus should be on properly cleaning and disinfecting tableware, just as it is on mask wearing and hand sanitization.
Single-use items can be contaminated during packaging and transportation — experts have said that they are not necessarily safer — and because they are single-use, they are often not washed before being discarded, putting garbage collectors at risk.
While the outbreak and restrictions were stressful and environmental awareness might not have been at the front of everyone’s mind, it is crucial to be more cognizant of the carbon impact while still ensuring sufficient virus prevention safeguards as the situation eases and curbs are lifted.
Awareness can range from people using their own utensils for food they order online to purchasing online products in bulk to reduce packaging.
The sharp rise in trash volume is an opportunity to push for operations such as “contactless coffee,” in which people bring their own cups and the server pours the drink without touching it while maintaining social distance. Rentable reusable cups and delivery containers were also gaining traction before the outbreak, and should be encouraged more.
It will take effort and trust between businesses and customers to get such practices ingrained, and both groups have to avoid cutting corners.
Despite the pandemic, the government should not ignore the waste problem and must focus on education, incentives and restrictions before it gets out of hand.
The pandemic will ease as people get vaccinated and follow the Central Epidemic Command Center’s instructions, but the trash problem will only grow if something is not done now.
With Taiwan entering a level 2 COVID-19 alert and restrictions being relaxed somewhat, the best time to act is now.
Recently, China launched another diplomatic offensive against Taiwan, improperly linking its “one China principle” with UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 to constrain Taiwan’s diplomatic space. After Taiwan’s presidential election on Jan. 13, China persuaded Nauru to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Nauru cited Resolution 2758 in its declaration of the diplomatic break. Subsequently, during the WHO Executive Board meeting that month, Beijing rallied countries including Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Belarus, Egypt, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, Laos, Russia, Syria and Pakistan to reiterate the “one China principle” in their statements, and assert that “Resolution 2758 has settled the status of Taiwan” to hinder Taiwan’s
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s (李顯龍) decision to step down after 19 years and hand power to his deputy, Lawrence Wong (黃循財), on May 15 was expected — though, perhaps, not so soon. Most political analysts had been eyeing an end-of-year handover, to ensure more time for Wong to study and shadow the role, ahead of general elections that must be called by November next year. Wong — who is currently both deputy prime minister and minister of finance — would need a combination of fresh ideas, wisdom and experience as he writes the nation’s next chapter. The world that
The past few months have seen tremendous strides in India’s journey to develop a vibrant semiconductor and electronics ecosystem. The nation’s established prowess in information technology (IT) has earned it much-needed revenue and prestige across the globe. Now, through the convergence of engineering talent, supportive government policies, an expanding market and technologically adaptive entrepreneurship, India is striving to become part of global electronics and semiconductor supply chains. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Vision of “Make in India” and “Design in India” has been the guiding force behind the government’s incentive schemes that span skilling, design, fabrication, assembly, testing and packaging, and
As former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) wrapped up his visit to the People’s Republic of China, he received his share of attention. Certainly, the trip must be seen within the full context of Ma’s life, that is, his eight-year presidency, the Sunflower movement and his failed Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement, as well as his eight years as Taipei mayor with its posturing, accusations of money laundering, and ups and downs. Through all that, basic questions stand out: “What drives Ma? What is his end game?” Having observed and commented on Ma for decades, it is all ironically reminiscent of former US president Harry