Improper disposal of toilet paper plastic bags subject to fine of up to NT$6,000

Improper disposal of toilet paper plastic bags subject to fine of up to NT$6,000

2026-04-28

Plastic bags for toilet paper are thrown away all the time, but can they be recycled? Many people just throw them away in the regular trash, but the bag is actually recyclable! The New Taipei City Environmental Protection Department issued a reminder that this kind of packaging is made from PP plastic film, so as long as it’s clean, it’s actually a valuable recyclable. Improper disposal could result in a fine of up to NT$6,000.

Tsai Wan-chen
FTV reporter
After bringing home newly bought toilet paper and taking all the packages out of the bag, how do you throw away the plastic bag they came in?

Some people don’t think about it too much—they just throw it away in the regular trash. Others recycle it. But who’s right? The correct answer: Recycle it!

Environmental authorities in Taichung and New Taipei both posted an explainer on social media saying that the outer packaging for toilet paper is a clean plastic bag with high recycling value. But the individual plastic tissue packaging should be considered general trash unless it has a recycling symbol.

Member of public
I think people generally know, but when it comes to actually doing it, they aren’t that consistent.

In general, a plastic bag is recyclable if the light shines through it, it’s made of one material, and it’s clean.

Liu Hung-yi
New Taipei recycling official
In New Taipei City, toilet paper bulk packaging falls into the “clean plastic bag” waste category. They can be thrown away with the recycling truck. But please separate them to make sure they’re not mixed with general trash or grease. Failure to follow regulations could result in a maximum fine of NT$6,000 under the Waste Disposal Act. However, individual toilet paper bags and single-pack tissue wrappers are not recyclable.

Although New Taipei isn’t strictly enforcing this rule at the moment, you could still be liable for a NT$6,000 fine if caught failing to properly sort your waste.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#wastedisposal #recycling #plasticbag #packaging #toiletpaper #fines #sanitation #wastemanagement #didyouknow #plastic

衛生紙外層包裝袋可回收! 丟錯最高可罰6千元

2026-04-28

生活中常見的衛生紙包裝袋，到底可不可以回收？不少人用完抽取式衛生紙後，習慣把外層大型塑膠包裝直接丟進垃圾桶，但其實您可能丟掉的是「可回收資源」，新北市環保局提醒，這類包裝多為PP塑膠膜，只要保持乾淨回收價值相當高，若隨意丟棄最高可罰6000元。

[[民視記者蔡宛臻]]
買回來的衛生紙歸類排好，但這個多出來的外包裝袋怎麼丟，您丟對了嗎？

有的民眾沒想太多，回答直接丟，丟一般垃圾，有的說要丟回收，到底怎麼丟？答案揭曉就是”丟回收"!

台中、新北市環保局都在臉書公告環保小百科，提醒民眾，整串衛生紙外包裝，屬於乾淨塑膠袋類，回收價值高，但單包衛生紙包裝，除非上面有回收標章，否則都算一般垃圾。

[[民眾]]
“應該是會知道，但是確實在實際執行的時候沒有這麼確實。”

要判斷塑膠袋是否可回收，可依透光、單一材質、乾淨三大原則判斷。

[[新北市環保局循環資源科技正劉鴻毅]]
“在新北市衛生紙購物包裝袋屬於廢乾淨塑膠袋類，可交付給清潔隊資源回收車回收，但請分開單獨回收，且不得夾雜垃圾及油脂，如果未落實交付清潔隊相關規則，違者可依廢棄物清理法最高處新台幣六千元罰鍰。另外，衛生紙產品袋及單包裝的衛生紙外袋屬於不可回收。”

新北市環保局目前雖然並未強制開罰，但一旦被發現未照實分類，最高可處新台幣6000元罰鍰。

更多新聞內容，請鎖定：
民視台灣台（152頻道）週一至週五晚上9:30
民視新聞台（53頻道）週二至週六凌晨1:00

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Lee Shu-chuan picked as New Taipei mayoral candidate

The results are out for a poll commissioned by the KMT and TPP to decide on a candidate for New Taipei’s mayoral race. The winner of the poll was the KMT’s Lee Shu-chuan, who recently stepped down as Deputy Mayor of Taipei. On Tuesday he held a conference alongside TPP Chair Huang Kuo-chang to make the announcement. Reporters asked Lee whether Huang would be in his campaign team. He said that since Huang is the TPP’s party chair he will have to assist with campaigning nationwide, adding that if he gets elected, he will appoint members of the TPP to the city government. Meanwhile, Huang said he would cooperate with whatever Lee decides to do. Let’s hear more.

Lee Shu-chuan
New Taipei mayoral candidate (KMT)
Huang Kuo-chang is the Chair of the TPP, so he’ll be helping campaigns nationwide. He can be like my best comrade-in-arms. If I win the election at the end of the year, I will work with talent from the TPP and make every effort to recruit them.

Huang Kuo-chang
TPP Chair
The best lead to this play is Lee Shu-chuan. We will follow his lead. As for me, my campaign headquarters will not just be the joint headquarters for six councilors, but also be a support base for Lee Shu-chuan.

Su Chiao-hui
New Taipei Mayoral Candidate (DPP)
Congratulations to my rivals for completing their primary. I will continue to strive for more opportunities to serve the citizens of New Taipei with my energetic, creative and capable team.

Two polls were conducted for the joint KMT-TPP primary to test each candidate’s performance in a two-way race against the DPP’s candidate Su Chiao-wei. In the first poll, Lee won over Su by 6 percentage points, and Huang lost to Su by 3 percentage points. In the second poll Lee’s lead over Su was even bigger, at 12 percentage points, while Huang was only slightly ahead of Su by 2 percentage points. Since Lee won both polls, and the ratings were higher, he was selected as the candidate.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#politics #kmt #tpp #dpp #李四川

2026-04-28

Hsinchu firefighters save 9-month-old baby from asphyxia

On Monday, the Hsinchu County Fire Department successfully helped rescue a 9-month-old baby with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Thanks to their first aid skills and high-grade medical devices in the fire department’s inventory, it only took 30 seconds to revive the little one at the hospital. Let’s take a closer look.

They turn the baby over and pat her on the back. After 30 seconds of resuscitation efforts, the baby finally lets out a small cry. She was found in critical condition at 1 p.m. Monday by her parent, who’d fed her only three minutes before. Her face had turned blue, requiring emergency care. Her frightened parent called 119 for help, and when paramedics arrived, she already had feeble vital signs. At the first minute, paramedics opened up her airway and gave her medical oxygen. About two minutes later, her spontaneous breathing resumed.

Lin Chen-yu
Emergency physician, Ton Yen General Hospital
Before arriving at the hospital, firefighters quickly used a high-grade airway device for infants and carried out first aid really well. When the little one arrived, her heartbeat was quickly restored.

The rescuers say that asphyxia is the most common condition in infants requiring emergency treatment. Apart from CPR, oxygen supply is even more crucial. The Hsinchu County Fire Department recently procured a set of high-grade supraglottic airway device in infant size, which proved effective in this case.

Hsu Chia-hsiung
Hsinchu County Fire Department
In yesterday’s case when giving emergency first aid to the patient, we inserted a high-grade airway device, which helps deliver oxygen to the lungs effectively.

Hsu Yu-cheng
Hsinchu County Fire Department
Usually in emergency first aid, we’d use a bag valve mask to give the patient oxygen. You can see in this diagram that without the other device, the air can easily enter the esophagus.

With the highest birth rate in Taiwan, Hsinchu needs to be prepared for the little ones. Thanks to the rescuers and a well-stocked inventory, the 9-month-old was successfully rescued.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#firstaid #ER #CPR #medicine #medicaldevice

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Companies eyeing high-tech pet products as cat ownership spikes

The pet economy continues to heat up. With over 1.74 million cats and 1.46 million dogs across Taiwan, owners are treating their pets as members of the family and spending accordingly. Appliance makers are eyeing this NT$60 billion annual market with a variety of smart gadgets for the astute pet lover.

Even an 11-kilogram Maine coon can fit comfortably in this spacious litter box. After they’re done with their business, the box can clean itself and even keep records through an app. And with built-in safety sensors, owners can be sure their beloved pet is safe and sound.

Chao Yu-po
Company marketing manager
The box can easily sense when a cat gets close and will immediately stop, fully ensuring its safety.

Cat owner
If I go traveling or something like that, I think it’s really convenient. I can tell it to clean itself through the phone app, so I won’t worry about the smell stinking up the house while I’m away.

Cat owners not only care about their pet’s comfort, but also cleanliness and hygiene. Manufacturers are also offering more advanced robotic vacuums that can clean in sections, reducing bacterial residue by 99%. Even your most basic feeding needs are going high-tech.

Food is dispensed automatically with a single tap. With 4 liters of capacity, you won’t need to refill it for 20 days. It can even be controlled remotely, so you can be sure your pet is fed on time, even if you’re not home. The automatic water dispenser next to it uses a four-stage filter to keep the water pristine.

Chen Cheng-hong
Company chair
With AI integration, the future of appliances lies in smart technology. The entire industry is booming, even more than products for babies. So we’re very, very optimistic about the future potential of pet electronics.

Modern pet owners are becoming more discerning consumers. To make sure the little princes and princesses of their household are happy, no price is too high.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#pets #petproducts #businessopportunity #litterbox #cats #catowner #smartappliances #AI #pamperedpet #catlover

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Tablet turns into a ball of fire within seconds at repair shop

We’ve all heard stories of power banks exploding, but did you know other personal electronics can be a hazard too? A repair technician in Hsinchu recently had a close call with a tablet that turned into a big ball of fire within seconds. A client had brought the tablet in with battery problems. The technician placed it on a table to get started on the repairs when it suddenly swelled and burst into flames without a warning. The incident was caught on camera and posted online. Let’s take a look.

The technician puts the tablet on the table to get started on repairs when…

The tablet suddenly swells and explodes, bursting into a big ball of flames. The panicked technician grabs it and throws it on the ground to put out the blaze. Fortunately, it all ended there. The technician posted the video on Threads as a reminder to take damaged electronics to a professional. He wrote: “Thankfully it exploded in my hands. Had it been in your house it could’ve started a fire.”

Mr. Chou
Store manager
The customer noticed the tablet’s battery was draining very fast. That day, it was very abnormal, it could barely hold charge. We inspected it and the battery was very low, at 40% or 50%. After it was placed on the table, it suddenly caught fire.

The tablet was made in 2016. It looked fine on the outside, but inside, it was charred black. Despite the damage, the store disassembled the motherboard, replaced the battery and the casing, and returned it to the customer. All for just NT$2,000.

Passerby
Commenting on video
It’s terrifying! You wouldn’t expect the fire to be so big.

Passerby
Commenting on video
All of my old tablets also had the batteries burst. I stop using them as soon as they do.

The repair shop warns that abnormal battery drain, bulging and foul odors are signs of battery problems that should be taken seriously, both for phones and tables.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#tablet #phone #battery #batteryrepair #tech

2026-04-28

Thailand could halve visa-free tourist stay from 60 to 30 days

In order to boost tourism, Thailand had expanded its 60-day tourist visa exemption scheme in 2024, while also included an additional 36 countries and territories, for a total of 93. However, in less than two years, the Thai government is considering rolling back the policy, while also cutting the maximum stay to 30 days. That’s because instead of boosting the local economy, the relaxed rules actually created problems such as illegal work and crime. Should the proposed policy take effect, Taiwan would still be included in the list of 57 countries, and still enjoy 30 days of visa-free tourism.

People have fun splashing water on others to celebrate Songkran, the Thai New Year. In 2024, as a measure to boost tourism, the Thai government expanded its 60-day tourist visa exemption scheme to 93 countries and territories. But in less than two years, Thailand is considering reverting to the previous list of 57 countries and territories, while also halving the maximum period of visa-free stay, from 60 to 30 days. It also plans to tighten visitor screenings.

Taiwanese tourist
Frequent traveler to Thailand
I wanted to volunteer, and they told me that there’s a volunteer visa, and that I should apply for it. Before, all I needed was a tourist visa and I could get in and stay for two months, and even extend my stay by another month. But the new policy is no big deal. Thirty days are more than enough if you want to tour Thailand.

Should the new, tightened rules take effect, overstaying as a tourist will be fineable by 500 baht per day, and could even get you blacklisted. As for the shortened list of visa-free countries, Taiwan would still be included. Travel agents also say that the shorter period of visa exemption would be of little impact to typical travelers.

Chen Chien-chin
Travel agency GM
It actually doesn’t make much of a difference. Usually, tourists only spend nine days there, maybe 14 at most. At the time they wanted long-stay tourists like those from Europe, but then discovered that the new scheme wasn’t very effective, and instead made Thailand unsafe.

The Thai government had hoped to attract a greater number of quality tourists with higher spending power. However, statistics showed that the majority of tourists only spend 15 to 30 days in Thailand on average. Instead, many of those that maximize their stay on tourist visa exemption could get involved in illegal work and criminal activities, including scam, causing wide repercussions for Thai society.

Hong Ming-chien
Taiwan Thailand Exchange Association
Currently many people involved in scam rings enter Thailand on tourist schemes. There are just too many of them. Looking at news reports, probably more than 80% are Chinese. The Thai government is now really strict, meaning that foreigners’ activities must strictly align with the type of visa held. If you’re in Thailand for tourism, then you can’t conduct any activities related to business or commerce.

The Thai government hopes that the tightened rules will support quality and sustainable tourism.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#thailand #visa #tourism #visafree #travel

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Former weightlifter opens authentic German restaurant in Kaohsiung

You may have had the fortune of visiting this ultra-authentic German restaurant in Kaohsiung, almost like stepping into Europe. But what you might not have known is that the owner used to be a champion weightlifter. Born into an athletic family, he won the National Middle School Games back in the day. But after starting to work in restaurants during college, he never looked back. He developed an interest in German cooking and even went there to learn authentic techniques, diverging from his early athletic path.

A juicy and tender pork rib, seared until golden brown, goes into the oven to cook.

This is the traditional German way to make spare ribs—by searing and then slow baking.

- This is a specially made German sauce. It’s a versatile sauce they use for any kind of barbecue or grilled meat.

He smears on the sauce of red pepper, tomato, and garlic before grilling it until the outside starts to crisp. That’s how you know the pork chop is ready to go.

- The juices are fresh when you bite into it, and it has a satisfying chewiness.

- It’s a must-order, the German sausage. I love getting this.

Stepping into this restaurant in Kaohsiung feels like you’ve been transported to Germany. But what you might not know is that the owner, 38-year-old Cheng Kai-feng, used to be a champion weightlifter. Born to an athletic family, both his father and uncle are cyclists. He trained in weightlifting for nearly seven years, and in high school, won the 85kg division at the National Middle School Athletic Games. But he chose not to continue in college, and instead pursued his love of cooking.

Cheng Kai-feng
Restaurant owner
I started training after finishing sixth grade. After winning the national games, I started contemplating what to do next. What I loved most was German smoked ham. So I followed the recipe to the letter, got a wood-fired oven, and started researching how to make it.

He started working in restaurants in college, where he encountered different cuisines and developed a passion for cooking. A German couple happened to try the ham he made and were so impressed that they generously invited him to exchange expertise with a butcher in Bingen, Germany.

Cheng Kai-feng
Restaurant owner
A German couple came to Taiwan for a technical exchange in solar energy. The wife was surprised and said she’d never even had anything like it in Germany. How come Taiwan has it? So she arranged with a butcher for me to bring it to Germany.

This is the ham that won the German couple over, smoked to perfection with a delicate pink center. He studied in Germany for a full year, learning authentic techniques to bring back to Taiwan.

Cheng Kai-feng
Restaurant owner
The process of training for weightlifting was a great opportunity to hone my resilience.

Cheng Yung-chien
Cheng Kai-feng’s father
I support changing careers, because everyone should explore different things rather than sticking to one path.

Whether a champion weightlifter or an accomplished chef, Cheng has found his own flavor of success.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#Germancuisine #restaurant #chef #weightlifting #athlete #Kaohsiung #sparerib #MiddleSchoolGames

2026-04-28