Over six months after the government announced that toilet paper should be flushed down the pan, the Consumers’ Foundation released a survey on Aug. 11 showing that certain toilet papers available on the market are still marked as insoluble, while nearly 50 percent of the public find the information on the packaging unclear.
Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) Minister Lee Ying-yuan said in the legislature in December that, as bathroom habits are changing, the EPA is encouraging people to flush their used toilet paper. Lee said that in the past Taiwanese used to dispose of used toilet paper in trash cans to avoid having a blocked toilet, but this could lead to hygiene issues such as foul odors and the creation of potential hotbeds for flies and mosquitoes. Developed countries have been flushing toilet paper for years, reducing the amount of waste and odor.
Sanitary ware manufacturers say that as long as a toilet is CNS verified it should have no problem dealing with used toilet paper. The problem lies in the paper’s material, and most people cannot tell the difference between toilet paper and facial tissue. Toilet paper is generally made of short fibers, which are water-soluble and do not block toilets, while facial tissues or napkins are made of long fibers and are not easily soluble in water, and so tend to clog pipes.
Photo: Chen Ping-hung, Liberty Times
照片：自由時報記者陳炳宏攝
The Consumers’ Foundation suggests the government regulate packaging of toilet paper and facial tissues, requiring clear indication of flushability, so the public is no longer confused about whether to flush or not to flush.
(Liberty Times, translated by Lin Lee-kai)
衛生紙用後丟入馬桶之政策宣傳推動逾半年，消基會八月十一日公布問卷調查發現，市面上仍有衛生紙標示不溶於水，且有近五成民眾認為衛生紙標示不清楚，資訊仍不明。
Photo courtesy of Department of Environmental Protection, Taipei City Government
照片：台北市環保局提供
環保署長李應元去年十二月於立法院備詢時表示，社會生活型態已經改變，將推動衛生紙丟馬桶政策。李應元說，過去國人習慣把如廁衛生紙丟垃圾桶以避免馬桶堵塞，但此做法容易產生異味及導致蚊蠅細菌孳生等衛生問題。而世界先進國家實施此政策已經多年，有效減少垃圾及異味。
衛浴設備業者表示，馬桶只要通過CNS檢驗標準，衛生紙丟進馬桶沒有問題，但問題在於紙張材質差異，因為一般民眾常搞不清楚衛生紙跟面紙的差異，衛生紙多屬於短纖維、易溶於水，不會有堵塞問題；面紙或餐巾紙則屬於長纖維、不易溶於水，因此容易造成排水管堵塞。
消基會建議政府，應規範衛生紙、面紙皆須明確標示可否丟入馬桶，並充分向民眾宣導什麼紙可以丟馬桶、什麼不能丟。
（自由時報綜合報導）
The phenomenon of being “tea drunk” is a unique experience often associated with this popular beverage, especially when consuming brews that are particularly high-quality or strong. Unlike being drunk on alcohol, the effects of tea drunkenness stem from various compounds found in tea leaves. __1__ These substances can have a synergistic effect on the brain, resulting in a state of euphoria, relaxation, or heightened sensory awareness. __2__ One of the most obvious is the caffeine present in tea. It acts as a stimulant that increases alertness and cognitive function. Unlike coffee, however, tea also contains L-theanine, an amino acid
A: Taiwan has won three golds at the BWF World Tour Finals in the past. B: Cool, who were the gold medalists? A: Badminton queen Tai Tzu-ying won gold in 2020 and 2023, and men’s double, Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin, won the title in 2020 as well. B: It’s too bad that both Tai and Lee announced their retirement from badminton. A: Hopefully, Wang and his new partner — the 21-year-old, 189cm-tall Chiu Hsiang-chieh — can also perform well in the future. A: 台灣在「BWF年終總決賽」，曾3度奪金耶。 B: 真酷耶，是誰啊？ A: 戴資穎在2020、2023年度的女單，李洋、王齊麟在2020年的男雙都曾奪金！ B: 不過小戴、李洋已宣布，要從羽壇退休。 A: 希望王齊麟和新搭檔—21歲189公分的邱相榤—未來也能打出好成績。 （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
Global coffee prices have soared to their highest in nearly 50 years due to poor weather in Brazil and Vietnam, forcing roasters such as Nestle to raise prices and consumers to hunt for cheaper brews amid the cost of living crisis. Spiking prices will benefit farmers with the crop this year, but challenge traders who face crippling hedging costs on exchanges and a scramble to receive the beans they pre-bought. WHAT DRIVES PRICES? Production problems linked to bad weather in Brazil and Vietnam have seen global supplies lagging demand for three years. That has left stocks depleted and driven benchmark ICE exchange prices
Continued from yesterday（延續自昨日） https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang __3__ These generally include a sense of calm, mental clarity and a mild feeling of euphoria. Some people may also experience a light-headedness, giddiness, or a heightened appreciation for the flavors and aromas of the tea they are drinking. __4__ All these are signs that one should reduce their tea intake. It is essential to understand the balance between the beneficial and adverse effects of tea. Becoming tea drunk shows the potency of the natural compounds in tea and their impact on human physiology. Moreover, it highlights the complicated relationship between what we consume and how it
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