Taipei City Government announced today that starting from April 2016, the City Hall will prohibited disposable tableware, including knives, forks, spoons, chopsticks, paper plates, cups and bowls. This policy will be extended to related facilities and schools by August 2016.

Taipei Mayor Ke Wen-zhe says he will consider following South Korea in developing a uniform standard for tableware in order to promote night market dishwashers.

Newtalk reports, the Department of Environmental Protection says disposable tableware will also be banned at convenient stores. Paper bags for take-out coffee and the paper bowls for oden are also on the forbidden list. The City Hall says it will respect employees’ freedom to purchase disposable tableware, but will no longer offer any in activities or meetings.

Retailers say the policy will not have a huge influence since oden is not a major commodity, and heat resistant bags can be used as substitutes for paper bowls.

Storm Media and ETtoday report, Ke believes politicians should “do things right” instead of “do the right thing.” The mayor uses his new policy of charging all roadside parking spaces as an example, saying the regulation will definitely drop his approval rate, yet it fits the concept of environmental protection and energy conservation.

Translated by June
Edited by Olivia Yang

Sources:
Newtalk
ETtoday
Storm Media Group