Online retailers in Taiwan will be banned from using packaging materials containing polyvinylchloride (PVC) beginning July next year, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) announced Thursday, following rising environmental concerns over the surge in online shopping packaging waste.

From July 1, 2023, materials containing PVC will be banned in packaging for e-retail businesses, and all packaging materials must contain a certain amount of recycled paper or recycled materials, according to draft regulations announced by the EPA on its website.

Wrappers in natural colors that contain over 90 percent recycled paper, or plastic packaging made from more than 25 percent reusable plastic, should be prioritized as packaging material, according to the draft rules.

Citing relevant statistics, the EPA said, online shopping sales in Taiwan grew from NT$228.3 billion (US$7.2 billion) in 2017 to NT$430.3 billion last year, using up to 220 million packaging bags and boxes.

This produced 3,134 metric tons of plastic packaging waste and 54,182 metric tons of paper packaging waste, as well as emitting a total of 78,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, the EPA said.

In terms of how the products should be wrapped, rules applied to online shopping will differ depending on company size.

For example, e-retailers with more than NT$50 million in capital will be subject to a product/package weight ratio of less than 40 percent for products weighing between 250-1,000 grams; while the ratio requirement is under 30 percent and under 15 percent, respectively, for goods weighing 1 to less than 3 kg and over 3 kg.

E-retail companies with a capital of NT$150 million or more will also be required to achieve a 25 percent reduction rate in packaging by 2024, followed by 30 percent by 2025 and 35 percent by 2026.

Such companies are also mandated to use at least 2 percent of reusable packing bags and boxes for products sold by 2024, 8.5 percent by 2025 and 15 percent by 2026.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel