Environmental Groups Urge Taiwan to Prioritize Domestic Medical Supplies Amidst Plastic Raw Material Export Surge
Taiwan's Environmental Rights Foundation reported that despite domestic shortages of plastic raw materials, exports surged over 26% in March 2026 compared to the previous year, with ethylene polymer exports to China (including Hong Kong) increasing by 22.5%. The Foundation attributes this to manufacturers capitalizing on high international prices and urged the government to review CPC's petrochemical raw material supply policy, mandate reduced exports to secure domestic medical supply, and expand incentives for single-use plastic reduction. The Ministry of Environment's Resource Circulation Administration responded by detailing existing and new plastic reduction initiatives, including a reusable bag program, to alleviate supply anxiety.
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- 📰 Published: April 13, 2026 at 18:05
- 🔍 Collected: April 13, 2026 at 18:31 (26 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 13, 2026 at 18:41 (9 min after Collected)
The Environmental Rights Foundation issued a press release on April 13, 2026, highlighting a paradox in Taiwan's plastic raw material supply. Despite domestic shortages, customs export data for March 2026 showed a significant increase in plastic raw material exports, particularly ethylene polymer, a key component for plastic bags. Exports of ethylene polymer rose by over 19,000 metric tons (26%) year-on-year, with exports to China (including Hong Kong) increasing by over 8,200 metric tons (22.5%). The Foundation attributes this surge to domestic manufacturers, who typically export 70% of their output, exploiting a rare period of high international prices for plastic raw materials. They criticized the government's decision to prematurely conclude maintenance on CPC's No. 4 naphtha cracker to increase supply, arguing it risks industrial safety, environmental damage, and financial losses for CPC, while benefiting only a few manufacturers. The Foundation proposed three key actions: 1) Suspend and review CPC's policy on increasing upstream petrochemical raw material supply, allowing the No. 4 naphtha cracker to complete its scheduled maintenance. 2) Strongly urge major manufacturers to reduce exports and prioritize the secure supply of critical domestic needs, such as medical supplies. 3) Expand incentives to reduce the use of single-use plastics, including packaging and bags, to enhance Taiwan's resilience against geopolitical supply chain risks. In response, the Ministry of Environment's Resource Circulation Administration outlined its ongoing efforts for source reduction. These include existing restrictions on plastic bag use for 14 types of businesses and single-use plastic cups. They are actively promoting a "Bag-to-Bag Transfer" reusable bag circulation mechanism and collaborating with digital payment providers like EasyCard Pay to offer incentives for reducing single-use beverage cups and shopping bags. The Administration stated that promoting reusable bag programs effectively lowers demand for virgin plastic raw materials, thereby easing domestic supply anxieties. They plan to continue strengthening diverse incentive mechanisms to integrate plastic reduction into a flexible circular economy model.