Working towards a zero waste environment in Taiwan.

It is essential to the achievement of zero waste that emphasis is concentrated on front-end preventions rather than end-of-pipe (EOP) treatment. Zero waste is primarily based on cleaner production, waste management, the reduction of unnecessary consumption and the effective utilization of waste materials. The aim of this study was to briefly review the tasks undertaken and future plans for achieving zero waste in Taiwan.

Report: transboundary hazardous waste management. part II: performance auditing of treatment facilities in importing countries.

Before implementing the self-monitoring model programme of the Basel Convention in the Asia, Taiwan has conducted a comprehensive 4-year follow-up project to visit the governmental authorities and waste-disposal facilities in the countries that import waste from Taiwan. A total of nine treatment facilities, six of which are reported in this paper, and the five countries where the plants are located were visited in 2001-2002. France, Belgium and Finland primarily handled polychlorinated biphenyl capacitors, steel mill dust and metal waste.

Transboundary hazardous waste management. Part I: Waste management policy of importing countries.

Mixed metal-containing waste, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) containing capacitors, printed circuit boards, steel mill dust and metal sludge were among the most common wastes exported from Taiwan. Before the implementation of the self-monitoring model programme of the Basel Convention (secretariat of the Basel Convention 2001) in the Asia region, Taiwan conducted a comprehensive 4-year follow-up project involving government authorities and the waste disposal facilities of the importing countries. A total of five countries and nine plants were visited in 2001-2002.

Effect of hydraulic retention time on anaerobic hydrogenesis in CSTR.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the production of hydrogen in a continuous system as a function of hydraulic retention time (HRT). The intermediates accumulated and other parameters of pH, oxidation-reduction potential were quantified. The heat treatment (103 degrees C for 24 h) of the compost from a cattle dung composting facility was able to select H2-producing spores; this product was used as a seed for continuous systems.

Management and performance of Taiwan's waste recycling fund.

Taiwan's resource recycling program was formally established in 1989, starting with the mandatory recycling of polyethylene terephthalate bottles. The number of mandatory regulated materials was extended to 8 categories with 27 items by 2002. Because of false data reporting, financial scandal, lack of transparency of the system, and the demand from parliament, the recycling policy has gradually changed from entirely privatized to being nationalized.

Determination of Schulze equation for chemical oxygen demand reduction using stabilized landfill refuse media.

Three columns each with 770 cm2 of surface area and 60-105 cm effective depth were set up for this study. These columns were filled with compacted, stabilized refuse. High-strength brewery wastewaters were uniformly trickled down the medium.

An overview of recycling and treatment of scrap computers.

In order to recover valuable materials and to minimize the adverse effects of hazardous materials contained in scrap computers, a dismantling practice is commonly adopted to treat scrap computers. By using the dismantling process, both useful and hazardous materials can be manually separated and retrieved. On the basis of the properties of the retrieved materials, they can be sent to appropriate facilities for further recycling or treatment.

H(2) production through anaerobic mixed culture: effect of batch S(0)/X(0) and shock loading in CSTR.

Biological production of H(2) has received considerable attention lately. The present study was undertaken to observe the effects of substrate/seeding ratios (S(0)/X(0)) on batch H(2) generation. The H(2)-producing seeding spores were obtained from the heat treatment (88 degrees C for 12h) of the compost from a grass composting facility.