TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s two major convenience store chains have joined the government’s initiative to cut waste by changing packaging materials and introducing reusable cups.

7-Eleven and FamilyMart have agreed to adopt minimal packaging, alternative packaging materials, larger-sized products, recycling incentives, and free cup rental. The move will start at the stores on Taiwan’s outlying islands, according to the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA).

Take the 7-Eleven store on Orchid Island, or Lanyu, a volcanic island off the southeastern coast. Some PET bottled drinks have been replaced with beverages in aluminum cans for better recycling, while foods such as dairy goods now come in larger sizes. A reward of NT$5 (US$0.16) is given to those opting for reusable cups.

The store also has put in place an automatic recycling machine that promises NT$1 for every five PET bottles, which has seen a 33% monthly hike in the weight of recycled bottles. Ninety percent of all 7-Eleven’s outlying branches will be equipped with the machines by the end of the year.

FamilyMart is taking similar action, including phasing out plastic lids for some of its merchandise, not providing plastic straws, and introducing reusable cups.

The EPA has embarked on a waste reduction drive that encourages businesses and residents on the outlying islands to participate in a reusable cup rental scheme since 2018. As of June, the move had seen 426,000 cups rented and 1.4 million 600 ml PET bottles saved, translating to slashed carbon emissions of 210,000 kilograms, said the EPA.