Environmental Management Administration

After completing a cleanup, sort the waste into general waste, recyclables, fishery waste, and hazardous waste before arranging removal according to local government regulations.

Members of the public can search for open beach cleanups across Taiwan via the "Coastal Cleanup Information Platform" or apply to organize their own cleanup. The platform provides details on cleanup locations, waste removal procedures, contact windows, and regional information to facilitate event planning and applications.

If you encounter syringes, chemical containers, explosives, flammable containers, or other suspected hazardous waste, do not attempt to move or transport them yourself. Follow the four-step process ("Discover, Observe, Assess, Handle") and report the item to local authorities or competent agencies so trained professionals can handle it safely.

After a disaster occurs, the administration works with local governments to assist environmental recovery efforts, including:

• Coordinating personnel and cleanup equipment.
• Assisting with garbage removal from streets, residential areas, and public spaces.
• Removing mud and disaster-related waste.
• Carrying out environmental disinfection.
• Assisting in restoring waste transfer operations and environmental protection facilities.
• Inspecting coastlines and removing drifted debris.

The following key points should be observed during post-disaster environmental cleanup:

• Remove garbage, mud, and standing water as quickly as possible.
• Give priority to sorting and transporting perishable waste.
• Place bulky waste as designated.
• Cooperate with environmental disinfection and mosquito control measures.
• Keep homes and surrounding areas clean to reduce the risk of disease transmission.

Waste collection and transportation will be planned according to conditions in the affected area. Environmental protection authorities in each city or county should identify suitable nearby locations to serve as waste transfer stations. Waste and mud placed on streets by the public will be loaded onto trucks and removed from the streets using a system of daytime short-distance consolidation and nighttime long-distance transport. During the day, waste is centrally collected and stored at transfer stations, where appropriate disinfection is carried out. At night, larger trucks transport the waste to landfills or incineration facilities for disposal. This approach avoids daytime traffic congestion, significantly improves transportation efficiency, and helps restore street cleanliness more quickly.

Large furniture, appliances, and other bulky waste generated by a disaster should be placed at designated temporary collection sites or removed according to procedures announced by local governments. They should not be discarded on roads or in public areas, as this may obstruct disaster relief efforts and traffic.

The public can handle waste according to the following principles. After a disaster, waste should be sorted and then disposed of in accordance with local government regulations.

• Prioritize the handling of perishable waste

  Separate perishable and foul-smelling food waste from other garbage so that environmental authorities can give it priority for collection and disposal, reducing odors and mosquito breeding.

• Proper placement of bulky waste

  Large furniture and appliances that do not decompose easily should be placed at temporary collection sites designated by environmental authorities to avoid obstructing disaster relief operations and traffic.

• Centralized transfer to improve efficiency

  For waste generated in residential and market areas, environmental authorities will first use small machinery to collect and transport it to temporary hubs. Short-distance consolidation takes place during the day, while long-distance transportation is carried out at night to avoid rush hours and accelerate the restoration of street cleanliness.

• Disinfection is essential

  Appropriate disinfection measures will be carried out during the transfer process. Members of the public can also assist by cleaning their yards and drainage ditches to prevent mosquito breeding.

The first 48 hours after a disaster are a critical period for environmental recovery. The sooner garbage, standing water, and mud are removed, the greater the reduction in environmental pollution, mosquito breeding, and disease transmission risks. Early cleanup also helps accelerate waste removal and the community's return to normal life.

If garbage, mud, and standing water are not promptly removed after a disaster, they can lead to environmental pollution, mosquito breeding, unpleasant odors, and the spread of disease. They may also hinder disaster relief efforts, transportation, and community recovery. Completing environmental cleanup as early as possible not only improves living conditions but also helps reduce environmental health risks and enables affected areas to return to normal operations more quickly.

Flushing toilet paper down the toilet can reduce many environmental hygiene problems. Benefits include:

• Reducing mosquito and fly breeding.
• Reducing the spread of germs and diseases.
• Reducing odors in restrooms.
• Enhancing maintenance workers' and cleaners' hygienic safety.
• Enhancing restroom environment quality; users feel more comfortable as well.

• Toilet paper is dispersibile as it's short fiber material, allowing it to quickly disperse in water and not clog the toilet. Human excrement is partly long fiber and is flushable in the toilet; therefore, flushing used toilet paper down the toilet will not cause a blockage.
• The S-bend within the toilet has a diameter of around two inches, while the sewage pipe in the back is as wide as four inches. Paired with toilet paper's dispersibility and short fiber material, appropriate amounts of toilet paper flushed normally should pass through without a problem and not cause blockage.

Most toilet paper currently available on the market shows clear "Flushable" and "Dispersible in Water" marks on the packaging. These products can be flushed down the toilet in appropriate amounts without worry.

Based on experience, items that cause blockage include hair, stockings, sanitary pads, food waste, rags, toys, plastics, condoms, and cigarette butts. As these are not toilet paper and can cause blockages, they should not be flushed down the toilet.

Old drainage systems have four major structural problems, including:

• Narrowed pipe diameter: due to iron pipe corrosion or grease adhesion, the original four-inch drain pipe may only have two inches of space left, similar to vascular sclerosis.
• Insufficient slope: insufficient waterflow velocity causes solid matter to not be carried away smoothly and thus easily deposited in the pipe.
• Uneven joints: protruding pipe joints in old houses or tree root invasions easily trap paper fiber.
• Poor ventilation: buildings should have ventilation pipes installed to balance air pressure. If the pipes are blocked or ventilation pipes are not installed, it will exacerbate drainage resistance.

Therefore, toilet paper can be flushed down toilets of old restrooms. The best policy is to review the overall plumbing structure of restrooms, repair ventilation systems, and clear pipes regularly. It is recommended that public restroom management units and the public face the problem of aging pipelines, promote replacing old systems, and jointly create and implement a new culture of civilized toileting.

Reference: Chairman Kuo Chi-tz, Taiwan Institute of Property Management