The Ministries of Environment and Foreign Affairs teamed up with the European Economic and Trade Office and EU member states’ offices in Taiwan to hold the annual beach cleanup Sept. 21 in New Taipei City in observance of International Coastal Cleanup Day and World Cleanup Day.
According to the MOENV, the event involved around 170 participants, including MOENV Minister Peng Chi-ming, Deputy Foreign Minister François Chihchung Wu, EETO Head Lutz Güllner and other officials from EU partner countries stationed in Taiwan. They collected a total of 464 kilograms of waste at the Bali Beiti Beach.
Peng said Taiwan and the EU are solid economic and trade partners with many shared values. The annual event reflects the commitment of the two sides to promoting the health of Taiwan’s coastal areas while calling attention to the daunting challenges associated with climate change, he added.
The minister said that since the government launched the Salute to the Seas project, the coastal waste dropped by 60 percent from 2,294 tons in 2019 to 940 tons in 2023 before reaching a new low of 686 tons as of the third quarter this year. An additional NT$5.9 billion (US$189 million) has been earmarked for the second phase of the project to be carried out by 15 agencies under nine councils and ministries, Peng added.
One key development is the ban on single-use plastic cups at beverage shops that came into effect this month, Peng said, adding that the measure will lead to a reduction of 790 million disposable plastic cups each year.
Echoing Peng’s remarks, Güllner said the EU invests 350 million euros each year in marine protection and is proud to organize beach cleanup activities around the world, including its involvement in the Taiwan event for the sixth year. He welcomed Taiwan’s efforts to restrict plastic use and emphasized that the EU will continue to work with global partners to promote sustainable ocean governance. (SFC-E)
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from Taiwan Today – Top News