萬國法律事務所

In this June, Taiwan's legislature passed amendments to the Waste Disposal Act(the “Amendments”). The Amendments came along with amendments to the Resource Circulation Promotion Act, which were passed in early June, aiming to establish a comprehensive life-cycle framework for resource recycling by incorporating product design, manufacturing, consumption, recycling, and reuse into regulatory management. Together with the Resource Circulation Promotion Act, the Amendments establish a legal foundation for a circular economy. The new law strengthens regulation of emerging waste streams, reuse systems, and environmental crimes.

The Amendments expand the scope of regulated recyclable waste, to include industrial waste generated by the energy transition and industrial development. The new law also extends producer responsibility and relevant payment liabilities. In the future, manufacturers, importers and installation operators will bear joint responsibility for recycling, waste clearance, and disposal.

In addition, the Amendments consolidate existing industrial waste reuse regulations that were previously dispersed across multiple ministries and agencies, thereby unifying the regulatory standards governing reusing products. This framework complements the circular economy regime established under the Resource Circulation Promotion Act.

The Amendments introduce technological enforcement tools and significantly increase penalties for illegal dumping. The new law also reinforces mechanisms for recovering illicit gains and for environmental restoration.