The execution period of this plan is from February 24 to December 15, 2023. As of November 28, 2023, the task team has implemented each work item in accordance with the contract and completed the quantitative goals of each work item. The execution results are summarized as follows.
This project handles work related to promoting the source reduction of disposable products and provides guidance to businesses in specific areas or shopping districts for source reduction services. This year, it is conducted on the main road sections north of Shengli Road and south of Guangdong Road in Pingtung City where catering businesses are concentrated. The task team have successfully guided operators of 25 bento shops and buffet stores in specific areas to provide self-pickup and delivery services, allowing people to bring their own recyclable tableware. Among them, 18 operators have environmentally friendly lunch boxes in their stores and provide recyclable tableware delivery services. There are also 8 operators that provide discounts for people to bring their own environmentally friendly containers for take-away. The list of operators that provide source reduction services in specific areas is compiled and reported to the Environmental Protection Bureau of Pingtung Government Bureau (PTEPB), and is made public on the official website of the PTEPB for the use of the public and agencies within its jurisdiction. It also releases online news media and subcontracts to TV stations to conduct TV marquee to expand publicity, with a total of 88 articles released. In terms of disposable beverage cups, in order to formulate an implementation date for beverage stores in Pingtung County not to provide plastic disposable beverage cups, this plan carried out guidance surveys on more than 25% of beverage stores within the jurisdiction, and a total of 282 were conducted. Among them, 120 beverage stores have not yet replaced plastic disposable beverage cups, and the remaining 162 beverage stores have fully replaced them with coated paper cups or are gradually replacing them. In addition, a meeting to discuss the ban period for plastic disposable beverage cups was completed on July 6, 2023. After communication and coordination with the business operators during the meeting, all operators present agreed to cooperate with the ban on plastic disposable beverage cups and determined the implementation date of "Beverage stores in the county not allowed to provide plastic disposable beverage cups" is December 1, 2023. The implementation date has been submitted to the Ministry of Environment for review and approval. This year, a total of 382 inspections were carried out on controlled objects for disposable beverage cups within their jurisdiction, and 12 of them completed the improvement of the signs of "Borrowing recyclable cups for free" or "Bringing your own beverage cups to save NT$" after receiving guidance. In order to encourage hoteliers to reduce the provision of accommodation supplies, this project has held a total of 4 "Promotional activities for hoteliers not to actively provide accommodation supplies". During the activities, the practices of sustainable tourism, environmentally friendly accommodation and not to actively provide disposable accommodation supplies were promoted to hoteliers, and encouraged operators to respond to green tourism and join the ranks of environmentally friendly hotels in Pingtung County. And through phone calls and on-site interviews, 8 operators were successfully coached not to actively provide disposable toiletries, and 8 operators were all successfully applied to become environmentally friendly hotels in Pingtung County after receiving guidance.
In order to promote the reduction of plastic bags used for shopping, the task team have guided 3 stores of “101 Stationery Paradises” to set up "One Bag for Good Pingtung" second-hand bag recycling boxes. Through the continuous recycling and reuse of second-hand bags, the use of disposable shopping plastic bags can be reduced. It is estimated that this can reduce more than 10,000 plastic bags and has a carbon reduction benefit of approximately 574.5 kgCO2e every year. From July, the "Chaozhou No. 1 Public Own Retail Market" encouraged stallholders in the market not actively to provide plastic bags for shopping, including setting up "One Bag for Good Pingtung" second-hand bag recycling boxes, and providing guidance to stallholders not actively to provide plastic bags for shopping, and promoting the public to bring their own shopping bags for consumption, etc. The task team also provided guidance to stallholders to recycle clean second-hand bags from product delivery packages for consumers to use. In order to enhance the effectiveness of promoting the reduction of plastic bags, the special activity of "Recycling Bags for Safe Pingtung, and Plastics Reduction for Weekly Extra Discounts" was held, as of November 28, the results showed that plastic bags, used by “Chaozhou No. 1 Public Own Retail Market”, has reduced approximately 35,650 pieces, with a carbon reduction benefit of approximately 2,032 kgCO2e.
In terms of bag-breaking inspections for garbage sorting, there were 9 bag-breaking inspections along the collecting routes of garbage vehicle, 1 bag-breaking inspection designated by the enforcement agency, and 13 designated community bag-breaking inspections. A total of 324 bags were inspected, and the overall pass rate was 74.1%, which showed that garbage sorting by the public was not yet accurate enough, with disposable paper containers and beverage cups, and plastic beverage cups being most commonly not sorted. Follow-up inspections will strengthen publicity to the people to improve the effectiveness of resource recycling.
This year, the task team continued to assist in maintaining the second-hand goods sites data in Pingtung county registered in the “National Unused Goods Treasure Map”. A total of 16 new sites were added (including 5 sites of aboriginal Township), updated information for 13 sites, and 19 sites were deleted. The sites deleted were mainly due to repeated posting of information on the site, incorrect information placement, or the site no longer operated second-hand goods related business, etc. The task team also designed a Google online survey form. As of November 28, the results showed that 15 second-hand goods fairs were held in the county. A total of 5,664 second-hand items were exchanged or traded. In order to expand and promote the participation of the public in the reuse of second-hand goods, this year, the plan is in conjunction with the "Pingtung College" as a designated place to promote second-hand goods market activities. Currently, 3 "Come and Go to Little Boss Second-hand Market for Fun" has been held in conjunction with Pingtung College, including 1 unused goods recycling, exchange, repair, exhibition and sales event and 2 second-hand goods market fairs, and completed on July 15. A total of 1,722 second-hand goods were successfully exchanged or traded in the 3 events. The results of the relevant activities were publicized through the media. Among them, "Come and Go for Fun" second-hand exchange station of Kuliiao Station in Renhe Village in Pingtung County, has been promoting second-hand exchange and charity sales for a long time since its establishment. This year, it was invited to an exclusive interview with the media and was widely praised by the public.
The task team actively assists the PTEPB in handling work related to waste source reduction, including assisting the PTEPB in contacting administrative agencies and schools within its jurisdiction every month to fill in the reduction results on the "Agencies and Schools Disposable Tableware Operation Guidelines Reporting System". The average filling in rate from January to October reached 99.4%. And assisted in handling an explanatory meeting on "Operation Guidelines for Administrative Agencies and Schools to Reduce the Use of Disposable Tableware and Packaged Drinking Water" on August 10, August 11, and November 4. Match private sector participation, and carry out demonstration publicity. Continue to assist and cooperate with the PTEPB in the Kenting Main Street Night Market for waste source reduction and implementation of garbage sorting and resource recycling promotion, and maintain the existing 4 reusable bag borrowing service stations (boxes) and 3 garbage sorting facilities to keep on an excellent image of Kenting Main Street Night Market. It also assisted in completing the survey of 82 catering service providers within the jurisdiction before the end of June, of which a total of 55 are operating and handling go-out catering service. A total of 19 operators are in operation but have changed their business model, that are not belong to go-out catering service. And a total of 8 operators have stopped (suspended) due to the impact of the pandemic, the boss's age, poor health, or the second generation's unwillingness to operate. During the interviews, catering operators were coached to try out not to use disposable tableware and plastic tablecloths when performed go-out catering service. By the end of October, 55 operators provided go-out catering were coached to conduct trial runs, reducing the use of disposable plastic tablecloths and disposable tableware by a total of 1,147 pieces and of 11,470 sets, respectively.
