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）
Microsoft on Feb. 28 announced it was retiring Skype, the online voice and video call pioneer that the tech titan acquired in 2011. “Starting in May 2025, Skype will no longer be available,” said a post from Skype support on X, directing users to sign into Microsoft’s Teams platform for further use of its services. Skype was founded in 2003 by Scandinavians Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis in Estonia, revolutionizing Internet communication by offering free voice calls between computers and affordable rates for calls to landlines and mobile phones. Over the years, and as Internet speeds improved, Skype evolved to
A: It’s a pity that I can’t go to Australian pop diva Kylie Minogue’s concert. B: Why not? A: Hit Japanese singer Kenshi Yonezu is staging two shows at the Taipei Arena this weekend, and I already bought tickets long ago. B: Wow, isn’t he one of the most popular Japanese singers in recent years? A: And Yonezu’s megahit “Lemon” topped the Billboard Japan Hot 100’s year-end chart in 2018 and 2019 consecutively. A: 我不能去澳洲歌后凱莉米諾的演唱會真可惜。 B: 為什麼？ A: 日本人氣歌手米津玄師週末將在小巨蛋熱唱兩場，我早早就買票啦。 B: 哇他可是日本近年來最紅的歌手之一。 A: 米津的神曲《Lemon》甚至還在2018、2019年連續稱霸告示牌日本單曲榜年度冠軍！ (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張迪)
A: Australian pop diva Kylie Minogue is set to visit Taiwan for the third time on Saturday. B: I remember that her Taipei concerts in 2008 and 2011 caused a sensation, and I love her megahit “Can’t Get You Out of My Head.” A: This will be her first time performing in the southern city of Kaohsiung. B: Many music critics praise Kylie’s show as “a must-see in your lifetime.” A: Let’s go to Kaohsiung this weekend. A: 澳洲歌后凱莉米諾週六即將三度訪台。 B: 她曾在2008、2011年兩度在台北開唱都造成大轟動，我超愛她的神曲《Can’t Get You Out of My Head》。 A: 這次可是她首度唱進南台灣的高雄呢。 B: 許多樂評家說她的演唱會是「此生必看」！ A: 那我們週末去高雄吧。 （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張迪）
Donburi, often simply called don, is a beloved Japanese dish that consists of a bowl of steamed rice topped with various other ingredients. The word donburi itself actually means “bowl” in Japanese, but it has come to represent much more than just a vessel. Donburi first emerged during the Edo period (1603–1867) as a quick and convenient meal for busy city dwellers. By the 19th century, donburi had become immensely popular among theater enthusiasts, who often purchased these portable meals to enjoy during long performances. Una-don, a donburi topped with grilled eel, was a particular favorite. Easy-to-carry and satisfying,
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