This project aimed to obtain an understanding related to the current status of the “Review and Outlook of Trash Treatment Program" and "Programs for General Waste Recycling and Resources and Resource Recovery" in order to follow up and evaluate on the implementation of the “Zero Waste policy” which is a mid- term management target of the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA). Further, the project also intended to collect information on the current supply and demand of general waste treatments and disposal facilities, as well as the ingredient influences with the volume of garbage clearance for the “Garbage Reduction” and “Incinerable waste should not be buried in landfills” initiatives, to assess the categorization and composition of general waste recycled in Taiwan. For January-September 2009, the reusable waste recycling rate was 33.62%, the recycling rate of food waste was 9.15%, and the bulk waste recycling and reuse rate was 0.82%. The volume of garbage clearance per capita per day was 0.527 kg and the disposal or treatment rate of garbage reached 99.98% in Taiwan, which indicated that the current practices have met the expected objectives of this project. In addition, fifteen investigations of on-site recycling facilities and the evaluation of effectiveness and operations for food waste and bulk waste were also implemented. Recommendations were given to Yi-Shun Compost to improve the composting facilities, composting operations management, pollution control facilities and the composting environment. Furthermore, fruit peel and vegetable leaves were found with high frequencies in food waste, and reusable waste mainly consisted of paper containers and plastics in two surveys of general waste composition. After the comprehensive analyses of the balance of supply and demand of general waste disposal facilities in the six major metropolitan communities, recommendations were given as follows: Each county/city should set up additional food waste composting sites to manufacture semi-finished or finished compost with fine wood chips made from food waste and shredded driftwood, and then the compost can be commissioned (or auctioned) subsequently to qualified manufacturers for organic fertilizer production for reuse. As for improving the recycling rate of bulk waste, the EPA should incorporate this item into its evaluation on the environmental practices of cities and counties in order to increase the willingness of local governments to promote recycling efforts. A trial pilot transformation program was suggested for large-scale waste incineration plants that are near the end of their lifespan. In order to enhance the effectiveness of resource recycling, the incineration bottom ash from general industrial waste for reusing purposes should be considered.

Municipal waste；waste treatment；reuse