MOENV Announces Draft Amendments to Two Key Waste Laws, Introducing Green Design and Industrial Waste Regulations

After three years and 37 consultation meetings, Taiwan’s Ministry of Environment (MOENV) has officially announced the draft amendments to the Waste Disposal Act and the Resource Circulation Promotion Act (formerly the Resource Recycling and Reuse Act). The amendments focus on enhancing producer responsibility, including compliance with green design guidelines, the provision of maintenance and extended warranty services, and the implementation of circular and sustainable management mechanisms for specific products and construction projects. Additionally, the maximum prison sentence for violating the Waste Disposal Act will be increased from five to seven years, and the maximum fine for illegal dumping will rise to NT$100,000—demonstrating the government’s commitment to cracking down on environmental violations.

Moreover, industrial waste, which was previously excluded from the recycling fee system, will not be categorized under “designated recyclable waste,” requiring businesses to pay for waste collection, clearance, and disposal. To address the emerging waste issues from decommissioned renewable energy equipment, items such as solar panels and wind turbine blades will also be regulated, with producers held responsible for their collection and final disposal. The MOENV emphasized that it will not introduce a separate “resource circulation promotion fee” in order to avoid overburdening enterprises, but will instead enforce clearer regulations to strengthen extended producer responsibility and improve resource circulation governance.

Reference:

https://e-info.org.tw/node/241388