Taiwan shared its experience in controlling polluting chemicals on the sidelines of a U.N. meeting on chemical conventions in Geneva, the Environmental Protection Agency said May 5.
Acting in a nongovernmental capacity, the ROC joined its diplomatic allies Burkina Faso, Guatemala and The Gambia in pooling its knowledge of dealing with 22 long-lasting hazardous compounds and electronics waste with more than 80 representatives of over 20 U.N. member states, including Australia, Germany, Japan and the U.S.
“Taiwan is active in efforts to reduce dioxin emissions,” an EPA official told the conference. “In 1997, the island established the world’s strictest controls on dioxin emissions from local garbage incinerators: All waste is subject to these controls.”
Emissions of dioxins, which are highly toxic and blamed for birth defects in many countries, continue to fall in Taiwan. They stood at 55.7 grams international toxic equivalent quotient in 2011, down 83 percent on 2002.
Taiwan began a program to recycle electronic devices in 1998. Currently, 13 types of electronic and information technology devices are reprocessed. In 2011, 1.93 million electronic and 3.87 million communications devices were recycled, weighing 78,939 and 35,718 metric tons, or about 65 percent and 47 percent of the totals, respectively.
The annual average of such recycled devices stands at 4.94 kilograms per person, significantly above the 2012 EU target of 4 kilograms.
U.N. efforts to control pollution are governed by three conventions named after the cities—Stockholm, Rotterdam and Basel—where they were signed. The conventions, of which the largest is Stockholm with 179 signatories, have a joint secretariat. (SDH)
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