TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The National Development Council said Thursday that Taiwan has made strides in livestock wastewater treatment, marking major progress in sustainable agriculture.

The NDC said in a press release that Taiwan’s livestock industry generates about 130,000 metric tons of wastewater daily. In response, the agriculture ministry has implemented a three-tiered approach based on the Animal Industry Act and Water Pollution Control Act: conserving water at the source, promoting resource reuse, and helping farms meet treatment standards, per CNA.

As a result, energy-efficient practices have saved water equal to the daily consumption of 5.55 million people. In 2023, treated wastewater reached 17.84 million metric tons—roughly the volume of Kaohsiung’s Agongdian Reservoir.

Additionally, reusing biogas slurry and residue for irrigation and power generation has also cut emissions equal to the carbon absorption of 218 Daan Forest Parks.

NDC Minister Liu Jing-ching (劉鏡清) called the initiative a model of the circular economy and outlined plans for small-scale, integrated livestock parks. These zones would combine processing waste reuse, focusing on sustainable practices.

He added that efforts from source reduction to stricter inspections will help advance Taiwan’s net-zero emissions targets.