By Yang Yuan-ting and Esme Yeh / Staff reporter, with staff writer
The Ministry of Environment has launched 350 green-packaged products in cooperation with major sales channel operators and consumer goods companies, with the aim of increasing the figure to 1,000 products within the next two years.
Products in supermarkets all require packaging, but overpackaging takes a toll on the environment, it said.
The ministry in the past few years has promoted reducing retail packaging, following the EU’s target of reducing packaging by 10 percent per capita by 2035.
The name and logo of the Ministry of Environment are pictured at its headquarters in Taipei in an undated photograph.
Photo: CNA
The ministry has established a strategic alliance with supermarket or hypermarket channels, such as Prosperity Plaza, Uni-Prosperity and Mega PX Mart to promote the reduction of packaging for products such as food and beverages, cleaning supplies, and cosmetics, it said earlier this week.
Ten major consumer goods companies also took part: Kao Corp, Swire Coca-Cola, Lian Hwa Foods Corp, PX Mart Co, Wedison Enterprise Co, Heineken Taiwan Co, Unilever Taiwan, Uni-Prosperity Lifestyle Corp, Taiwan FamilyMart Co and Taiwan Homemakers United Consumers Co-op.
A total of 350 green-packaged products were launched across 61 product categories, the ministry said.
Minister of Environment Peng Chi-ming (彭啟明) said that product consumption would rise in volume as the economy expands.
However, that means that the volume of packaging waste would climb too, he said, adding that the key to waste disposal is upstream waste reduction.
The ministry would continue to encourage companies to create green packaging for their products based on the five green packaging design principles: lightweight, mono-material, regeneration, circulation and substitution, he said.
The goal is to boost the number of green-packaged products to 1,000, he said, adding that they would be incorporated into the ministry’s circular economy mark certification to help environmentally friendly products dominate the market.
The ministry’s Resource Circulation Administration said that Prosperity Plaza has used the “Start from i” sustainability label to help consumers identify plastics-reduction products.
PX Mart has set up a packaging-free shopping section for more than 350 products at its stores, it said.
Combined with lightweight packaging for fresh food and circular produce mesh bags, PX Mart’s packaging reduction effort reduced plastic use by more than 11 tonnes last year, it said.
Taiwan Homemakers United Consumers Co-op has introduced post-consumer recycled plastic packaging ranging from 30 percent to 100 percent for its store-brand products, it said.
To encourage public support for green-packaged products, people who buy such products at Prosperity Plaza stores nationwide before the end of next month can participate in a lucky draw, it said, referring the public to its Web site for detailed information and the list of raffle prizes.