Taoyuan City resumed garbage collection services on February 1, the fourth day of the Lunar New Year. The Department of Environment Protection of the Taoyuan City Government (TYDEP) and the Office of Environmental Management (OEM) reinforced their policy of “collecting only garbage, not red envelopes” in various ways. However, some residents, wishing to express gratitude for the sanitation team’s hard work, still offered red envelopes and gifts during waste collection operations. Sanitation team members later handed over all red envelopes and gifts to the Government Ethics Office. According to official records, a total of NT$173,960 in red envelopes that could not be immediately returned was donated in full to the Taoyuan City Government Social Assistance Fund, while all donated supplies were forwarded to the Eden Social Welfare Foundation. This practice allowed the goodwill of residents to be redirected to families in need.
Shih-Wei Chen, Director of the TYDEP, mentioned that Taoyuan City’s growing population has increased the workload of maintaining environmental cleanliness. He expressed deep appreciation for the dedication of sanitation team members throughout the year and commended their commitment to integrity and government transparency. Chen reassured the public that sanitation team members would continue to serve diligently without the need for gifts or red envelopes. He encouraged residents to reinforce waste sorting in the new year, working together to maintain the city’s cleanliness.
Shu-Hao Chang, Director of the OEM, stated that collecting household garbage is part of the sanitation team’s job, and the best encouragement and support for them is simply a thank you when disposing of waste. Regarding red envelopes and gifts that could not be returned immediately, all such items are collected by each district team and submitted to the Government Ethics Office for proper registration as part of the gift refusal policy, with the total value donated to social welfare organizations. This allows the goodwill of the community to be turned into support for the disadvantaged.
The TYDEP expressed its gratitude for the support and recognition of the sanitation teams from residents across districts. It will continue to provide high-quality and efficient services to the public and looks forward to working with residents in making Taoyuan a cleaner and more livable “paradise,” as they welcome a fresh start after the Lunar New Year.