Taiwan to restrict hotels' use of disposable toiletries from 2025

Taipei, July 17 (CNA) Hotels in Taiwan will be restricted from supplying single-use toiletries unless they are specifically requested, with effect from 2025, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) said Monday.

Under the new guidelines, which the EPA announced on its website, liquid toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and lotion will have to be provided in bottles with a volume of at least 180 milliliters.

Meanwhile, disposable items such as combs, razors, toothbrushes, toothpaste and shower caps will no longer be offered in guests' rooms, though hotels will still be allowed to provide them on request, the EPA said.

The regulations will also not apply in hotel facilities outside of guest rooms, such as spas or swimming pools, the agency said.

The EPA previewed the new regulations in January and initially indicated stage one of the plan would be implemented on July 1, but that failed to take place.

In an interview on Monday, Wang Yueh-pin (王嶽斌), executive secretary of the EPA's Recycling Fund Management Board, said the official implementation date has now been set at Jan. 1, 2025 to give the estimated 14,500 affected hotels, bed & breakfast facilities and catered campsites sufficient time to prepare.

By mandating the use of larger, reusable bottles for toiletries in hotels, the EPA estimated that plastic waste from smaller, disposable bottles could be cut by around 2,100 metric tons per year.

Once the new rules take effect, hotels found in violation will be subject to fines of NT$1,200 (US$38.67) to NT$6,000, with the possibility of further penalties if no improvements are made, the EPA said.