The Development of Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) and Circular Economy in Taiwan

Abstract

After a series of policy measures and economic incentives imposed by the government in the early 90s, the waste management in Taiwan has achieved an impressive result and the national recycling rate was increased from 21 to 62% during 2003 to 2012. However, waste management problems still may happen when a new business trend emerges such as a new technology, product, or a consumption pattern. The government thus began to adopt the concept of sustainable materials management (SMM) brought by OECD to manage all materials in a systematic way. Other than SMM, the initiates of circular economy emerge as a new trend recently in Europe to transform the conventional linear economy practice into a circular one and the prospect of circular economy in Taiwan is discussed herein.