Waste Production
NTU has implemented a waste reduction mechanism and recycling system for years. Waste is sorted into general waste, recyclable waste, and kitchen waste. The total waste production in 2023 was 34.57 tons less than the previous year, a reduction of 2.21%.
Note 1: Due to pandemic control in 2021, the number of people visiting the campus decreased significantly. Most class activities as well as meetings and conferences were either moved online or canceled. The total amount of waste produced and recycled has dropped consequently.
Note 2: Taipei City no longer has public landfill sites, so NTU’s waste has primarily been incinerated in recent years. However, large fallen branches on campus require shredding before being incinerated at the Beitou Refuse Incineration Plant. In cases where the plant’s shredder malfunctions, the branches are sent to the Shanshuilu Eco Park (formerly the Shanzhukeng Landfill) for processing. Consequently, NTU occasionally generates data reflecting a small amount of landfilled waste.
Campus Waste Management Policy
1. General Waste Policies
In 2019, NTU formulated a Sustainable Campus Action Plan, with waste reduction and reuse as one of its objectives.
Meanwhile, NTU has established the "NTU General Waste Management Regulations," which clearly define the handling procedures for general waste and recyclables.
NTU also implemented the "User-Pay Policy for Dedicated Garbage Bags" since 2010. This policy is based on the principles of fairness and justice, aiming to promote waste reduction and establish a resource-sustainable campus through user payments.
2. Specific Waste Policies
- Regulations for the Management of Effluent Discharged by Buildings and Laboratories
- Regulations for the Storage, Disposal, and Handling of Laboratory Waste
- Regulations for the Management of Infectious Biological Materials
- Regulations Governing the Handling and Management of Toxic Chemicals and Other Chemicals of
3. Plastic Waste Reduction Policies and Actions
- Stop providing free single-use dining utensils since 2008 and start charging plastic bags and single-use dining utensils for 1NTD each.
- Banning all plastic and melamine tableware (including plates, straws, cups, etc.) on campus since 2019.
- NTU provides all freshman students with a set of reusable dining utensils at orientation, encouraging students to keep a habit of using reusable dining utensils.
- uCup, established by NTU students, works with many restaurants on campus in providing reusable cups. There are multiple collecting stations on campus for users to return the cups.
- “Principle for the Reduction of Single-Use Tableware and Plastic Bottle Water on NTU Campus”
- "Regulations for Campus Plastic Reduction”
4. Sustainable Procurement
In compliance with the “Government Agency Green Procurement Plan” and relevant assessment guidelines, NTU has put in place a sustainable procurement policy and will continue encouraging departments and offices to prioritize the use of “recyclable, low pollution, and resource-efficient” products. They are also encouraged to purchase eco-friendly products certified with green labels. The Office of General Affairs provides a “Green Procurement” section on its website, where relevant regulations and information are listed for NTU’s faculty and staff when trying to implement sustainable procurement. In the last three years, NTU’s sustainable procurement ratio surpassed the target ratio set by the government.
Sustainable procurement ratio
| Year | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Target green procurement ratio approved by the Environmental Protection Administration, Executive Yuan | 95% | 95% | 95% |
| Ratio of total green procurement items | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Ratio of green procurement of category 1 designated eco-friendly products | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Ratio of green procurement of “category 1 designated eco-friendly IT products | 66.2% | 71.1% | 64.1% |
Note 1: Statistics of procurements made by all campuses in the name of “NTU".
Note 2: Ratio of total green procurement items = (Procurement amount of designated eco-friendly products + procurement amount of green products) / (Total procurement amount of designated items +procurement amount of green products).
Note 3: Ratio of green procurement of “category 1 designated eco-friendly product = Procurement amount of designated products with green labels / Total procurement amount of designated items.
Note 4:Ratio of green procurement of “category 1 designated eco-friendly IT products = Procurement amount of designated IT products with Green Mark / Total procurement amount of designated items.
