Starting from July 1st, beverage establishments in Taoyuan will prohibit the use of plastic cups, with an estimated reduction of 72.6 million cups over the course of a year. This initiative aligns with the waste reduction efforts, in accordance with the “Restrictions and Implementation Guidelines for Single-use Beverage Cups” policy issued by the Taoyuan City Government and the Environmental Protection Administration in April 2022. Within Taoyuan City, approximately 989 beverage and chain coffee shops are expected to comply with this policy, thereby significantly alleviating the environmental burden caused by plastic consumption.
In response to the global trend of plastic reduction, the Environmental Protection Administration had previously implemented restrictions on plastic cups. As of August 8th, 2019, eight major venues including public sector, public and private schools, department stores, shopping malls, wholesale stores, supermarkets, convenience stores, fast-food chains, and dine-in establishments with physical storefronts have been prohibited from using plastic cups.
The Department of Environmental Protection expressed that Taoyuan City had been planning the implementation date for banning single-use plastic beverage cups since the end of last year. During this period, the bureau has engaged in multiple communications, telephone interviews, and on-site investigations with beverage industry operators within its jurisdiction. The bureau has also gained insights into the inventory depletion of plastic cups among the operators and provided advance notice of the policy timeline. Meetings were held to explain and discuss these matters, and the operators expressed their willingness to support the plastic reduction policy. The department also urged individuals to bring their own reusable cups.
Director Chen Shih-Wei of the Environmental Protection Department stated that the department will continue to promote the policy and actively encourage businesses to adopt alternatives such as paper containers or provide rental services for reusable cups. Since January 2023, convenience stores and fast-food chains have already started offering rental services for reusable cups. Currently, there are a total of 241 stores in Taoyuan City participating in this initiative. The public is encouraged to bring their own eco-friendly containers when purchasing beverages or opt for the Taoyuan reusable cup, thus enabling collective efforts towards plastic reduction and environmental preservation.