According to the EPA’s statistics, enterprises, civic groups, and government offices across Taiwan carried out 51 beach cleanups and removed 97 metric tons of trash this spring. EPA Minister Ying-Yuan Lee led the “2018 Taoyuan City Spring Beach Cleanup” at Chuwei Fish Harbor. He sought to raise awareness about ocean pollution caused by plastic products. Minister Lee hopes both local governments and residents will strive to generate less garbage and properly sort recyclables in order to promote better resource cycling and avoid unnecessary waste. Taiwan can be even more prosperous, with a clean environment serving as a true mark of a prosperous society.

Continuing the cleanup event started in Taoyuan City’s Chuwei Fish Harbor, EPA staff formed a team and joined the environmental organization, Rethink, in New Taipei City to clean the beach of Sanzhi. The beach cleanups this year were primarily led by enterprises and civic organizations as well as river patrols. This activity has become a trend in Taiwan with several organizations leading cleanup activities. The EPA appealed to different enterprises and civic groups to join the EPA’s coastal cleanup and adoption program. Related information about beach cleanups nationwide can be accessed on the “We Love Taiwan Coastal Clean-up” webpage at https://goo.gl/cep7sh.