Greening policy of production and recycling in Taiwan

Social concern with appropriate disposal and recycling of E-waste and scrap has been increasing for decades in Taiwan and elsewhere. In Taiwan, to prevent environmental pollution and promote appropriate recycling, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) has introduced a government-managed recycling system dubbed the Recycling Fund Management (RFM) system. Under the RFM system, producers (manufacturers and importers) have an obligation to pay recycling fees to the RFM committee of the EPA. There are 33 targeted items in 13 categories, such as home appliances, IT equipment, tires, motor vehicles, dry batteries, and so on. Recyclers who participate in the recycling system are subsidized by the RFM committee according to their recycling performance. To enter the recycling fund system, recyclers are required to meet standards for proper operations, and must have obtained authorization to treat and recycle wastes. Additionally, to get the subsidy, recyclers have to establish weighing and monitoring facilities and maintain a recycling rate of at least 75%.