TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Penghu County Magistrate Chen Kuang-fu (陳光復) said Thursday that village recycling stations have become a major force in cutting waste and keeping the county’s shores clean.

CNA reported that county data show the 15 village recycling stations collected about 120 metric tonnes of recyclables from January to October. Officials said volunteers and village leaders also held 129 recycling events this year to encourage more residents to sort and drop off waste.

Chen said more trash is showing up as living standards rise and people buy more goods. He said the recycling stations help deal with this growing load by pulling in plastics, paper, and other items before they end up in landfills or the sea.

He pointed to marine debris as a growing threat, saying buoys and floats wash ashore and damage Penghu’s long coastline. He added that the county is pushing cleanup work and turning some waste into new items, including award frames made from reused marine materials.

Chen said Penghu County is also working to improve trash transfer and sorting, adding that it is researching whether a new incinerator could help the county address future garbage needs. He encouraged people to sort their trash to help protect the local environment.