Taiwan sets limitations on giving out free plastic bags and utensils

Beginning on Jan. 1, 2003, Taiwan's Environmental Protection Administration(EPA) has implemented a policy which bans the retailers and restaurants from giving out free plastic bags and utensils to the customers.

To promote the policy, the EPA distributed more than 1,000 reusable shopping bags to those participating in the campaign activities on Dec. 29, 2002, where many representatives from convenience store chains and department stores joined in the activities to show their support.

According to the EPA, 20 percent of household waste in Taiwan is plastic, which is almost double the percentage of those in developed countries. The policy aims to reduce the amount of plastic waste by 30 percent within six months.

Revision of New Source Emission Guidelines for Thermal Electricity Generation

As part of the Government of Canada's clean air campaign, the New Source Emission Guidelines for Thermal Electricity Generation, under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, will be in force as of April 1, 2003.

The revised Guidelines are an integral part of Environment Canada's vision for managing electricity emissions in Canada, which is to achieve an environmentally and economically sustainable energy future with the lowest practical emission levels.

The guidelines include new emission limits for the smog pollutants nitrogen oxides and particulate matter that are 60 percent and 80 percent lower, respectively, than the limits in the previous Guidelines. The revised sulphur dioxides emission limits, to reduce the threat of acid rain, vary with the sulphur content of the coal, but are up to 75 percent lower than the previous allowable limits.

The revisions bring the Guidelines up-to-date regarding the emissions performance of current Best Available Technologies (BAT) that are economically feasible. In particular, the revisions align with emission standards currently in place in the United States.