Hi everyone from Taiwan! I would like to draw your attention to my sixth report on topic related to waste ?Taiwan and its recycling systems?.

I got the letter from our mentor Stephanie Ju. She wanted us to pick a report topic related to waste because waste is produced in our daily lives every minute. So, I would like to tell you about waste and recycling systems in Taiwan. As I told you before Taiwan was once known as Garbage Island. Now, it has an impressive recycling rate of 55% (the US?s 35%).

In Taiwan yellow garbage trucks blasting classical music collect trash 2 times day. These trucks are followed by open-bed recycling trucks. People hurry out of their homes when they hear the music and proceed to toss their garbage into the trucks. It's amazing how simple Taiwan has made recycling. This really could be done anywhere if there is a commitment to do so. All that's needed is three separate containers for trash: one for paper, one for plastic and glass, and one for garbage. It is almost impossible to entice a Taiwanese person to throw something in the wrong container. It's like a refreshing religion: one to which the rest of the world, and especially Russia (where I was born), should convert. In Taiwan?s capital Taipei there are more than 4,000 pickup spots. But other than musical trash trucks, Taiwan also has other checks in place to maintain its recycling system.

Raw food waste is composted for further use as fertilizers by farmers, while cooked food waste is processed into food for pigs and other farm animals. Landfills containing household and industrial waste have been found to release toxic chemicals and harmful greenhouse gases into the natural environment, potentially destroying ecosystems. Recycling garbage helps to reduce the negative impact that landfills sites have, as well as the pollution caused by waste.

One of these rules involves compulsory disposal of all non-recyclable waste in government-certified blue bags that you have to buy. Some areas have installed video cameras, used to catch violators. First time violators are given a warning, but the second time, the video footage is posted with the offender?s face blurred out.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, one third of all food produced worldwide is wasted. If countries around the world use effective waste reduction and garbage disposal systems, it could ensure a cleaner environment. It could also help feed many million people in the world that don?t have enough food to lead a healthy life.

In the end I would like to draw your attention to the interesting article published in ?The Wall Street Journal? on topic related to waste ?Taiwan: The World?s Geniuses of Garbage Disposal. How the island, with landfills not far from capacity, became one of the world-wide leaders in recycling?. Here you can find all detailed information about Taiwan recycling systems: https://www.wsj.com/articles/taiwan-the-worlds-geniuses-of-garbage-disposal-1463519134?mod=e2tw

Thank you for your attention!