TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s Ministry of Environment (MOEVN) said plastic shopping bag regulations enacted in 2002 have cut usage from 20 billion plastic bags annually to nine billion in 2023, a more than 50% decline. 

Environment Minister Shieu Fuh-sheng (薛富盛) attended an event at Taipei’s Daan Park on Sunday (April 21), where he spoke about the country’s success in reducing plastic bag usage, expressing hope that all plastic shopping bags could be eliminated by 2030.

Shieu said a "bottleneck" currently exists in cutting back on plastic bags, with future restrictions impacting industries and citizen's quality of life. Still, Taiwan will have to face these challenges to remain in good standing with international organizations, per CNA.

Shieu said the United Nations is scheduled to meet later this year to pass a global plastic treaty to curtail production to help the environment. As a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan must follow the U.N.'s lead on curbing plastics.

Taipei Deputy Mayor Lee Shu-chuan (李四川) also spoke at the event noting that consumer waste is one factor impacting climate change. Lee said heavy rains across Taipei are now more common, while a previous day’s worth of rain can now fall in just one hour.

Lee said the volume of rain Taipei is now experiencing poses a challenge to municipal infrastructure. Furthermore, water conservation efforts falter as heavy rains create runoff the city’s water collection capabilities cannot handle. 

Lee said that 75% of Taipei’s carbon emissions come from electricity use, 20% from transportation, and 5% from waste incineration. Reducing plastic bag production can also save energy associated with waste incineration.

He said Taipei is trying to reduce the number of plastic shopping bags used at traditional markets and restaurants. Lee admitted difficulty eliminating plastic bags used for soups and related foods that are hard to transport, but that everyone needed to alter their consumption habits for the sake of the environment.

The national government and municipal authorities are stepping up promotional activities across Taiwan from Earth Day on Monday (April 22) until World Environment Day on June 5.