Ministry of Environment Joins Hands with Ocean Affairs Council to Build Microplastic Management Defense Line
Taiwan's Ministry of Environment and Ocean Affairs Council announced a joint effort to establish a microplastic management defense line, extending from land-based sources to the deep ocean. This initiative will promote lifestyle transformation, scientific monitoring, and enhanced cleanup strategies.
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- 📰 Published: May 8, 2026 at 18:20
- 🔍 Collected: May 8, 2026 at 18:31 (11 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 8, 2026 at 21:36 (3h 4m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Chang Hsiung-feng, Taipei, 8th) The Ministry of Environment and the Ocean Affairs Council today jointly declared that the capacity for microplastic governance will extend from "land-based sources" to the "deep ocean." They will actively promote strategies such as lifestyle transformation, scientific monitoring, and enhanced cleanup, gradually building an overall management defense line from the manufacturing end to the environmental end.
The Ministry of Environment and the Ocean Affairs Council jointly held a press conference titled "Land-Sea Collaboration, Building a Microplastic Monitoring and Control Defense Line." Minister of Environment Peng Chi-ming stated that this is the first time the two ministries have allied to establish a national-level microplastic monitoring defense line. Currently, 90% of microplastics are fragments and fibers, which eventually flow into the ocean bit by bit. "The ocean has already endured too much."
Peng Chi-ming pointed out that they are now collaborating with the Ocean Affairs Council to build four major defense lines. First, starting with lifestyle transformation and source reduction, in conjunction with the recently preliminary approved draft of the "Resource Recycling Promotion Act" by the Legislative Yuan, the proportion of recycled plastics added will be increased to 20% to 30% in the future, leading to greater efforts in plastic reduction.
Peng Chi-ming said that the second is to reassure the public through scientific monitoring, such as Taiwan's clean water process being able to exclude the impact of microplastics. The third is to strengthen cleanup, removing waste before it breaks down into microplastics, with cigarette butts being very important. Finally, health maintenance, as microplastics may harm the environment and health, but more scientific evidence is needed to ensure environmental protection starts with truthful data.
Furthermore, Peng Chi-ming emphasized that he hopes Taiwan can become a global model in microplastic governance in the future.
Minister of Ocean Affairs Council Kuan Pi-ling stated that scientists worldwide have clearly told us that microplastics have entered the entire global circulation system, existing in oceans, rivers, soil, rainwater, and air, and everyone's health is closely related to the health of the ocean.
"Especially cigarette butts," Kuan Pi-ling said. Cigarette filters contain plastic fibers, and global statistics show that about 6 trillion cigarette butts are discarded on the streets annually, eventually flowing into rivers and oceans. After decomposition, they are not just trash; they also release large amounts of microplastics and other harmful chemicals.
Kuan Pi-ling stated that ocean governance is no longer solely in the ocean but requires cooperation with land areas. Marine waste and microplastics indeed cannot be solved by a single ministry but must be jointly undertaken by the entire government.
Kuan Pi-ling pointed out that the recent plan is the "Indo-Pacific Marine Waste Governance Platform," which currently links at least Indonesia, South Korea, Vietnam, and Japan, with joint actions under the cross-national platform. (Editor: Wu Su-jou) 1150508
(Central News Agency reporter Chang Hsiung-feng, Taipei, 8th) The Ministry of Environment and the Ocean Affairs Council today jointly declared that the capacity for microplastic governance will extend from "land-based sources" to the "deep ocean." They will actively promote strategies such as lifestyle transformation, scientific monitoring, and enhanced cleanup, gradually building an overall management defense line from the manufacturing end to the environmental end.
The Ministry of Environment and the Ocean Affairs Council jointly held a press conference titled "Land-Sea Collaboration, Building a Microplastic Monitoring and Control Defense Line." Minister of Environment Peng Chi-ming stated that this is the first time the two ministries have allied to establish a national-level microplastic monitoring defense line. Currently, 90% of microplastics are fragments and fibers, which eventually flow into the ocean bit by bit. "The ocean has already endured too much."
Peng Chi-ming pointed out that they are now collaborating with the Ocean Affairs Council to build four major defense lines. First, starting with lifestyle transformation and source reduction, in conjunction with the recently preliminary approved draft of the "Resource Recycling Promotion Act" by the Legislative Yuan, the proportion of recycled plastics added will be increased to 20% to 30% in the future, leading to greater efforts in plastic reduction.
Peng Chi-ming said that the second is to reassure the public through scientific monitoring, such as Taiwan's clean water process being able to exclude the impact of microplastics. The third is to strengthen cleanup, removing waste before it breaks down into microplastics, with cigarette butts being very important. Finally, health maintenance, as microplastics may harm the environment and health, but more scientific evidence is needed to ensure environmental protection starts with truthful data.
Furthermore, Peng Chi-ming emphasized that he hopes Taiwan can become a global model in microplastic governance in the future.
Minister of Ocean Affairs Council Kuan Pi-ling stated that scientists worldwide have clearly told us that microplastics have entered the entire global circulation system, existing in oceans, rivers, soil, rainwater, and air, and everyone's health is closely related to the health of the ocean.
"Especially cigarette butts," Kuan Pi-ling said. Cigarette filters contain plastic fibers, and global statistics show that about 6 trillion cigarette butts are discarded on the streets annually, eventually flowing into rivers and oceans. After decomposition, they are not just trash; they also release large amounts of microplastics and other harmful chemicals.
Kuan Pi-ling stated that ocean governance is no longer solely in the ocean but requires cooperation with land areas. Marine waste and microplastics indeed cannot be solved by a single ministry but must be jointly undertaken by the entire government.
Kuan Pi-ling pointed out that the recent plan is the "Indo-Pacific Marine Waste Governance Platform," which currently links at least Indonesia, South Korea, Vietnam, and Japan, with joint actions under the cross-national platform. (Editor: Wu Su-jou) 1150508