Taiwan to ban disposable amenities in hotel rooms

Many countries are initiating plans to reduce their carbon footprint and turn towards green efforts by reducing the use of plastic. Taiwan is also vying to move in a similar direction with a ban on disposable toiletries in hotel rooms.

Taiwan’s Environmental Protection Administration (EPA), in a draft bill, said that hotels would no longer be allowed to provide toiletries in containers of up to 180ml or less. If any guest would want to get the toiletries, they will have to ask for the same from the hotel separately.

The draft bill will be implemented on 1 July.

Among items to be restricted following the ban arelotions, gels and other liquid products; personal hygiene products including combs, toothbrushes, razors and shower caps; and disposable slippers.

All hospitality businesses will have to adhere to the rules.

Noting that Taiwan’s travel industry generates about 8,000 tonnes of plastic waste every year, EPA said, “We hope people can cultivate the habit of bringing their own toiletries with them when they travel, and reuse containers whenever possible."

Taiwan vowed to reduce plastic usage during the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi in February and March last year. Wang Yueh-bin, executive director of the EPA Recycling Fund Management Board, said that if any business does not comply with the regulations they would be fined which can range from NT$1,200 (S$50) to NT$6,000.

“After not providing plastic bottles of water, we went from having to buy 330,000 bottles of water a year to only buying 10,000 bottles a year,” reported Straits Times quoting a hotel group spokesman. “That’s a reduction of 320,000 plastic bottles for just one hotel."

(With inputs from agencies)

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