NTU Campus Plastic Reduction Action Plan & Enacted Regulations
National Taiwan University (NTU) has operationalized a robust, campus-wide Action Plan to Reduce Plastic Waste, grounded in the binding "NTU Regulations for Campus Plastic Reduction" (Enacted in 2024). The action plan systematically targets the elimination of single-use plastics (SUPs) across administrative offices, event logistics, dining facilities, and student life through continuous policy enforcement, infrastructure deployment, and economic incentives.
Campus Plastic Reduction Action Plan Timeline
To respond to the call for plastic reduction, NTU has been proactively implementing various measures since 2019. Beginning with a complete ban on melamine tableware in campus dining halls, the university further tightened restrictions in 2023 by prohibiting the use of disposable cutlery and bottled water at all on-campus administrative meetings, events, and dining facilities. To further solidify its commitment to reducing plastic waste, NTU enacted the "Regulations for Campus Plastic Reduction " in 2024, aiming to minimize the use of single-use plastics and mitigate resource depletion and environmental pollution. In compliance with policy changes, NTU establish a charging standard for various types of single-use tableware in 2025 to encourage the use of reusable containers.
In addition to formulating policies, NTU provides 450 water dispensers across campus to encourage the public to bring their own water bottles and reduce the use of PET bottles, a reduction of approximately 25,800 plastic bottles (around 52.5%). Starting in 2024, campus dining facilities have offered a NT$5 discount for using reusable cups to minimize campus plastic waste. In 2025, campus student organizations initiated a pilot reusable meal box program, partnering with local vendors to introduce stainless steel bento boxes and establishing return stations to reduce the use of single-use meal boxes and utensils.
Campus Plastic Reduction Action Plan Timeline
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2008 Encouragement of personal reusable tableware; paid provision of disposable tableware.
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2019 Complete ban on melamine tableware in campus dining halls.
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2023 Formulation of the NTU Guidelines for Reducing the Use of Disposable Tableware and Bottled Water.
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2024 Implementation of Campus Plastic Reduction Regulations.
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2025 Implementation of Rules on Provision and Charges for Disposable Tableware.
NTU's action plan combines mandatory prohibitions with recommended best practices. Mandatory measures include the complete ban on melamine tableware (since 2019) and the prohibition of disposable cutlery and bottled water at official meetings and events (since 2023). These are reinforced by the 2024 Regulations for Campus Plastic Reduction, which set out recommended practices across meetings, office administration, and campus dining.
NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY Regulations for Campus Plastic Reduction (in placed since 2024)
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【Article 1】Definition of "single-use plastic products"
Food packaging, shopping bags, straws, beverage cups, plastic bottles, cup lids, takeout food containers, disposable utensils, stirrers, condiment packets, plastic containers, and the like.
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【Article 2】Recommended practices
A. For meetings, training sessions, and events
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Bring their own reusable cups and utensils.
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Encourage the provision of utensils and beverage cups rental services during events.
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Set up water dispensers or refillable water jugs to reduce the use of packaged drinking water.
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Refrain from supplying paper cups or plastic stationery.
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Avoid the use of plastic food containers.
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Prohibit the provision of disposable chopsticks and plastic spoons.
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Properly sort waste for recycling.
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Include reminders such as "in support of reducing single-use plastics, please bring your own reusable cup and utensils" in meeting notices, training notices, and event information.
B. For office administration
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Use of reusable bags and containers.
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Encourage the purchase of products with eco-labels.
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Bring their own toiletries when traveling for work.
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Avoid purchasing items with excessive packaging and increase the reuse of packaging materials.
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Avoid using single-use plastic products and increase the reuse of items.
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Actively promote plastic reduction initiatives to raise environmental awareness.
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Incorporate plastic reduction measures into contracts with outsourced contractors as well as facility rental regulations.
C. For on-campus dining
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Use of reusable shopping bags.
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Choosing products with minimal or no packaging.
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Carrying around reusable water bottles, containers, and utensils.
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Encourage dining in to reduce waste from takeout packaging.
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Recommend that food vendors offer discounts for customers bringing their own utensils and reduce plastic packaging.
The charging standard for various types of single-use tableware (in placed since 2025)
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Include: Disposable Meal Box, Disposable Bowl, Disposable Chopsticks, Disposable Spoon, Discount for Reusable Containers, Plastic Bag.
2025 NTU provides 450 water dispensers
NTU is equipped with 450 energy-efficiency certified water dispensers accessible to the public. These dispensers are cleaned daily by dedicated personnel, and their filter cartridges are replaced regularly every month to ensure drinking water quality and safety. By reducing the purchase of bottled water, this initiative fosters low-carbon consumption to achieve environmental sustainability.
In addition, campus PET bottle recycling volume decreased from 49,125 bottles in 2024 to 23,320 bottles in 2025 — a reduction of approximately 25,800 bottles (around 52.5%), reflecting the combined impact of the 450 campus water dispensers and the plastic reduction measures described above.
Sustainable Lunchboxes: A Student-Led Initiative for Reducing Campus Plastics
To raise awareness of plastic and waste reduction and to cut down on the use of single-use lunch containers on campus, the NTU Student Association Sustainability Group partnered with the NTU Climate Action Club to launch the week-long NTU Reusable Lunchbox Pilot Program.
Participants could borrow reusable lunchboxes by completing mobile registration and received a NT$5 discount on bentos with each use. After meals, containers were returned by scanning a QR code at a self-service return station. All used containers were collected daily, professionally cleaned, and returned for reuse—bringing the concept of reusable foodware to life and demonstrating sustainability in action.
