Cabinet approves draft amendments to two laws for environmental sustainability

The Executive Yuan on Thursday approved the Ministry of Environment's draft amendments to the Resource Recycling Act and the Waste Disposal Act, including renaming the Resource Recycling Act as the Resource Circulation Promotion Act. The proposed amendments will now be submitted to the Legislative Yuan for deliberation.

Premier Cho Jung-tai stated that, in response to the challenges of environmental sustainability and limited global resources, Taiwan is actively pursuing a dual transition toward green growth and circular governance models. He said the proposed legislative changes would not only help curb illegal waste dumping, but also facilitate the development of a circular economy, holistically addressing issues from industrial, environmental and societal perspectives.

Premier Cho noted that the amendments aim to maximize resource circulation benefits and minimize final waste disposal, transforming the Resource Recycling Act into a Resource Circulation Promotion Act in line with international trends. Key changes include stipulating the responsibilities of relevant central government agencies in advancing resource circulation; establishing green design principles for commercial products and construction projects, along with fostering the "Green Made in Taiwan" (gMIT) brand; adopting measures such as circular labeling and circular procurement; ensuring the supply of Taiwan's critical resources; and creating a more robust legal framework and a supportive environment to realize the vision of a circular economy.

The premier also pointed out that the amendments to the Waste Disposal Act would strengthen end-to-end waste management mechanisms from the point of generation to the final user. By imposing heavier penalties and establishing procedures to protect creditor rights, the proposed legislation would deter illegal waste dumping and uphold environmental justice.