Plastic Bag Chaos Due to Middle East War; Peng Chi-ming: Strengthening Plastic Reduction Efforts

The war in the Middle East has disrupted the supply of petrochemical raw materials. The Ministry of Economic Affairs stated that after CPC Corporation's fourth naphtha cracker increases production in April, there will be sufficient supply for plastic bags, medical materials, and vegetable packaging, so the public need not rush to buy. Peng Chi-ming attended the unveiling ceremony of the 'Circular City' art installation today. In a media interview, he was asked about the apparent conflict between the Ministry of Economic Affairs increasing production and the Ministry of Environment promoting reusable bags. Peng explained that the Ministry of Economic Affairs is mainly avoiding inconvenience to the public, so increasing production is the 'last mile' to calm the plastic bag chaos. He noted that while a shortage is news, encouraging plastic reduction often isn't. People get nervous about shortages but overlook that the Ministry has long been promoting reduction. He emphasized, 'We will push harder in the future.' During the Qingming holiday, he urged the Ministry of Economic Affairs to use the situation as a chance for joint plastic reduction and raised the issue in Cabinet meetings. Peng further explained that the 'last mile' of plastic reduction lies in traditional stalls, eateries, and night markets. Due to the liquid nature of Eastern food culture, plastic bag usage in these areas accounts for about 60% of the total. Recently, the Ministry has launched 'Bag-to-Bag Transfer' to encourage the use of eco-friendly bags and recycling. Peng said that while no country bans plastic bags entirely, people in Western countries view using them as environmental damage. He believes change must come from the heart and hopes to encourage a cultural shift in Taiwan.