Agencies' efforts on using "green products" praised

This article was published by the Taiwan Headlines on December 11, 2006. It reports that according to the Environmental Protection Administration, efforts made by publicly run agencies to use and procure environmentally friendly products have been commendable.

Specifically, 11 government agencies have performed commendably in the first half of 2006, in terms of using and procuring environmentally friendly products or "green products", which cut down on waste and pollution, use less raw materials, conserve resources and are recyclable.

In order to take the lead in environmental protection efforts, the government set a 2006 goal whereby 80 percent of procurement made by government agencies will be green products. The result is that in the first six months of 2006, "green" procurement by government agencies as a whole reached NT$3.464 billion, an increase of NT$26 million from the same period in 2005. Only three agencies, including the Ministry of Education, have not performed so successfully in this regard.

For 2007, the government's "green procurement" will target at 83 percent. More public agencies, including the Presidential Office, Legislative Yuan, Judicial Yuan, Examination Yuan and Control Yuan, will also be included in the "green procurement" and "green consumption" initiative. Privately run companies and private organizations will also be required to participate in the program.