The Ministry of Environment held a joint award ceremony today (11th), during which Deputy Minister Shen Chih-Hsiu personally presented 36 awards to recognize outstanding agencies in 2024 for their performance in the operation and management of large-scale waste incineration plants, recycled incineration aggregate circulation, and food waste recycling. The Ministry also expressed appreciation to frontline personnel for their continued efforts and dedication to household waste management and circular economy policies.

To enhance the operational management and resource recycling performance of incineration plants, the Ministry of Environment organizes annual evaluations by panels of experts. In 2024, five agencies—including the Environmental Protection Bureaus of Miaoli County and Changhua County, as well as the Xindian Plant, Letzer Plant, and Chiayi County Sustainable Recycling Center—received the Outstanding Award. The Miaoli County Environmental Protection Bureau has overseen high operational rates at its incineration plant for five consecutive years and actively assisted other counties in processing waste, demonstrating a spirit of regional cooperation. The Changhua County Environmental Protection Bureau has strengthened policies on waste sorting and reduction at the source, effectively guiding the public in classification and minimizing waste generation. In terms of plant operations, the Xindian Plant performed excellently in pollution prevention, with the lowest nitrogen oxide emissions nationwide; the Letzer Plant introduced AI technology to improve incineration efficiency, saving hundreds of thousands of kilowatt-hours annually; and the Chiayi County Sustainable Recycling Center upgraded equipment and introduced smart safety monitoring systems, significantly enhancing operational efficiency and workplace safety. Additionally, the Shulin, Xizhou, Keelung City, Houli, Chengxi, and Chiayi City Plants demonstrated stable operations and a continuous improvement mindset, earning the Excellence Award. The Environmental Protection Bureaus of Hsinchu City, Chiayi County, Yilan County, and Keelung City received the Special Award for not only actively assisting other counties in waste treatment but also performing outstandingly in emergency response and policy innovation.

In promoting recycled incineration aggregate, Kaohsiung City received the Outstanding Award among municipalities, ranking first nationwide in both bottom ash processing quantity and recycled aggregate usage. In 2024, it launched a new bottom ash treatment plant to increase treatment capacity and implemented strict feedstock quality control. Changhua County received the Outstanding Award among non-municipalities by implementing self-government ordinances. that comprehensively promote the application of recycled aggregate, improving both quality and usage rates. Its public works also received the “2024 FIABCI-Taiwan Real Estate Excellence Awards.” Taoyuan City, Taichung City, Yunlin County, Nantou County, Chiayi City, and Yilan County were awarded the Excellence Award for establishing sound feedstock supply systems and actively expanding applications. Hsinchu City was recognized with the Progress Award for actively planning bottom ash processing facilities within the jurisdiction and conducting cement product testing to improve market acceptance and application value. To encourage actual usage, the Ministry also honored Taiwan Power Company., Ministry of the Interior National Land Management Agency, Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd., Ministry of National Defense Construction and Real Estate Service Center Armaments Bureau, Taiwan International Ports Corporation, Ltd, and Hsin Kao Gas Co, Ltd for their active adoption of recycled incineration aggregate, recognizing their support and contribution to resource circulation.

Regarding food waste management, the Ministry continues to promote diversified reuse approaches and encourages local governments to adopt lower greenhouse gas emission treatment methods such as anaerobic digestion, co-digestion, and black soldier fly composting. It also enhances public participation through reduction policies and recycling education. In 2024, Taiwan’s total amount of food waste recycling achieved 510,000 tons, becoming an important source of resource reuse and carbon reduction. New Taipei City, Chiayi County, Changhua County, and Kinmen County received the Outstanding Award for effectively planning short-, medium-, and long-term food waste resource strategies, developing locally suitable diversified methods, and implementing complementary measures such as proper composting facility management, source reduction, bag-break inspections, citizen composting guidance, and educational outreach, all of which improved recycling efficiency and quality. Meanwhile, Taoyuan City, Taichung City, Yilan County, Miaoli County, Yunlin County, Hsinchu City, Hualien County, and Penghu County also performed impressively in food waste recycling and reuse, receiving the Excellence Award, demonstrating flexible and pragmatic approaches adapted to local needs. The Ministry stated that through the evaluation system, it encourages all agencies to continually improve operational performance and pursue innovation. Incineration facilities have gradually moved toward smart, efficient, and clean operations, helping to create a safer and more sustainable living environment for the public. Even in 2024, which marked the peak of incineration plant upgrades nationwide, household waste treatment capacity remained stable. These facilities also generated nearly 3.1 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, enough to power 760,000 households for one year. The recycling rate for incineration bottom ash has reached 100%, showing the collaborative effort between public works and environmental agencies across counties and cities to steadily advance the goal of a fully circular economy. At the same time, food waste recycling continues to grow steadily, effectively reducing pressure on incineration and driving achievements in local resource regeneration and carbon reduction.

The Ministry further noted that AI technology is a prevailing development trend. Moving forward, it will continue to promote the integration of AI and smart management systems into environmental facilities, focusing on improving operational efficiency and resource recycling effectiveness. It also called on all counties and cities to work together in upgrading and transforming Taiwan’s waste treatment infrastructure.