According to the United Nations, only 6% of the 9 billion ton of plastic produced globally has been recycled, with most plastic waste incinerated, buried, or dumped, impacting the environment. An estimated 10-20 million tons of plastic enter the oceans annually, and by 2050, plastic waste could weigh as much as all fish, posing a severe ecological threat. |
To meet corporate social responsibility goals, Formosa Plastics Group (FPG) is reducing plastic use and promoting recycling. Formosa Plastics plans to stop supplying disposable plastics by 2025, while Nan Ya Plastics and Formosa Chemicals are developing recycling technologies for plastic bottles and fishing nets.
Nan Ya Plastics recycles plastic bottles into polyester chips and filament for clothing and other products, significantly reducing carbon emissions. In 2021, it processed 8.7 billion bottles, cutting carbon emissions by 188,000 tons (approximately 482 times the carbon absorption of Da’an Forest Park). Formosa Chemicals recycles waste fishing nets into eco-friendly nylon filament to produce high quality clothing, addressing marine pollution and supporting sustainable manufacturing.
Recycling of Other Waste Plastic
Companies strive to develop waste recycling and reuse technologies to recycle and reuse and achieve zero waste, for example:
1. Formosa Plastics Corporation
Recyclable Diapers: Formosa Plastics Corporation, in collaboration with Fuburg, developed recyclable diapers, separating materials into pulp, plastic, and SAP, which are repurposed into industrial paper, plastic products, and solid fuel.
Milk Bottle Recycling: using proprietary technology, recycled milk bottle materials are made into compounds for downstream suppliers to create detergent containers, fully reusing plastic waste.
PP Woven Bags: recycled woven bags are processed into compounds for making new waven bags, forming a sustainable recycling system.
2. Nan Ya Plastics Corporation
Waste Clothing: recycles polyester fabrics, leftover pieces, and old clothing into recycled polyester filament, establishing a textile recycling chain.
Industrial Release Film: used release film is recycled by removing ceramic slurry and converting it into recycled polyester chips for use in polyester fabric and electronics production.
3. Formosa Chemicals & Fibre Corporation
Home Appliances & Electronics: recycles old home appliances and electronics into compounds, which are used to manufacture new products, creating a closed-loop system.
Mixed Plastics: developing chemical recycling technology to convert low-quality mixed plastics into oil and petrochemical products, addressing recycling challenges and reducing carbon emissions.
HDPE Detergent Containers: recycles detergent containers into plastic pellets for reuse in new containers, contributing to plastic reduction and the circular economy.