In the “2022 Annual Joint Award Presentation Ceremony for the Promotion of Incineration and Recycling of Food Waste” organized by the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) of the Executive Yuan yesterday (April 10), the food waste recycling performance evaluation of Taoyuan was recognized with a High Distinction Award, and the waste incineration plant received an Excellence Award for the evaluation of incineration bottom ash reuse. The award was received by Lu Ming-Chi, Deputy Director General of the Taoyuan Department of Environmental Protection (TYDEP).
According to TYDEP, to reduce the possibility of pig food waste becoming a vector for African swine fever, since last year (2022), the TYDEP has been promoting full recycling of food waste, which will no longer be fed to pigs. Recycled raw and cooked food waste could undergo anaerobic digestion treatment to generate methane, which can be used to generate green electricity. Food waste can also undergo rapid fermentation to produce fertilizers for agricultural use within a short time, so as to achieve a circular economy as the main policy goal. This policy achievement has been evaluated by the EPA as having excellent performance in the implementation of food waste recycling among all counties and cities, thanks to the support of the public and the policy of full recycling of raw and cooked food waste, which has resulted in an increase of more than 50% in the amount of food waste collected since its implementation.
In addition, Taoyuan City is actively promoting public infrastructure works to prioritize the use of incineration recycled pellets. Incineration bottom ash is first sent to Guanyin Bottom Ash Treatment Plant for further treatment. Then, according to the characteristics of the material, the bottom ash is used in road paving or pipe excavation projects, with the treatment and material flow strictly controlled by the TYDEP. Since the promotion of incineration recycled pellets, the annual usage is now about 60,000 metric tons, which is a very laudable achievement. In the past, bottom ash was regarded as the final product after incineration, but now the incineration recycled pellets produced are provided to interested parties through a bidding process, which is the only management practice in the country to provide incineration recycled pellets at the user’s expense. The paid model also demonstrates that the incineration of recycled pellets in Taoyuan has market value and is a concrete example of the value of recycling. For four consecutive years, the Taoyuan has been recognized by the EPA for the effective reuse of incineration bottom ash in waste incineration plants.
TYDEP Director-General Chen Shih-Wei noted that promoting zero-waste resource recycling is also one of the important links to reduce carbon emissions. The TYDEP addresses the problem of waste decomposition through diversified recycling and reuse channels, hoping that through the public sector’s leading practice, economic growth and resource recycling can keep pace with the times and foster the implementation of net-zero transition.