This program ran from February 2008 to December 2008. Its main objective was to reduce the use of disposable products, in an effort to achieve the EPA’s long term policy goal of “zero waste” and to decrease the burden of back-end recycling and waste management. Following the suggested plans and priorities established in the 2007 program, the 2008 program focused on two priority categories: disposable tableware, and direct mail with its plastic wrapping. Two environmental groups served as partners in this program. Through negotiations and educational efforts, the program urged businesses to voluntarily stop or reduce the use of disposable products, and encouraged consumers to bring their own tableware and soft drink containers. Also, this program assisted in reducing the use of plastic trays, packing boxes and paper cups, as well as in relevant measures following the restriction policy on plastics usage. The results of this program are listed as follows. After negotiations, all tourist hotels started to use reusable tableware only; convenience store chains stopped proactively providing disposable chopsticks in July 2008; dozens of soft drink booths, coffee shops and restaurants agreed to offer discounts or other incentives to consumers who brought their own tableware or reusable containers. As for the reduction of direct mail, wholesalers, department stores and consumer electronics stores also agreed to avoid repetitive direct mail delivery and to reduce the use of plastic wrapping. It is estimated that all of the above measures combined could reduce the use of disposable products by 8,800 tonnes, and thereby providing environmental benefits such as cutting down the use of non-renewable resources, lowering the burden of waste management, and reducing air (including greenhouse gases) and water pollutions.

disposable products, source reduction, disposable tableware