Wearing marine waste is nothing new. The jerseys of the national teams of Germany, Spain, and Argentina, currently in full swing, are made from recycled fibers from Taiwan and contain marine waste. Another company has developed the world's first pair of fully recycled marine waste slippers, the "New National Blue and White Slippers," made entirely of recycled plastic bottles. These slippers not only represent Taiwan's grassroots culture but also highlight the value of the circular economy.
Last year, the Environmental Protection Agency launched the "Marine Waste Label," which has certified seven companies and 18 products over the past two years. The next step is to include the Marine Waste Label in the Green Rate program of the Recycling Fund, allowing businesses using recycled marine waste to enjoy preferential recycling rates. This program is expected to take effect in the first half of next year (2023). Products awarded the label will also be prioritized for government procurement of environmentally friendly products.
The new national blue and white drag strips, including the marine waste, are made in Taiwan. Shampoo can also obtain the marine waste label.
The "GreenPlax® New National Blue and White Slippers," developed by 22 Dream Studio, a subsidiary of the casual shoe brand Chilu International, are billed as the world's first fully recycled slippers made from marine waste. Each pair is crafted from five recycled PET bottles, three recycled oyster shells, and some recycled EVA. To achieve a "local full cycle," the team not only sources recycled PET bottles locally in Taiwan, but also established a production line in Taichung to build a local green supply chain.
The development team is currently working on a fundraising plan and plans to donate part of the proceeds in the future. In addition to organizing a number of public beach cleanups, they have also pledged to buy PET bottles from scavengers at three times the price to promote the recycling of marine waste and land-based PET bottles.
The "Green Vine Life Marine Waste Bottle", a shampoo container from the beauty and skincare brand "Green Vine Life", is Green Vine Life's first fully traceable product that verifies the source, recycling, processing and production of marine waste into shampoo containers. It is also the first shampoo in Taiwan to obtain the Marine Waste Label. It contains 33% recycled plastic made from discarded fishing nets and 67% rPE recycled plastic.
Liao Yiwen, founder and COO of Green Vine, noted that the discarded fishing nets used to make the marine waste bottles come from Wuqi Fishing Port. After recycling, they undergo a series of processes, including cleaning, pyrolysis, reprocessing, pelletizing, and bottle blowing. He explained that combining marine waste with conventional PE recycled material was the most challenging step. The final decision to use 33% marine waste was made to balance the appearance and quality of the bottles. "Consumers should support the product not only for its environmental impact, but also for its aesthetically pleasing appearance."
Thermal Cracking: Chemical Recycling Regenerates Marine Waste and Can Turn It into Oil Raw Materials
Another domestic company that has long been involved in chemical recycling is Poseidon Global, which uses thermal cracking technology to convert waste fishing nets into reusable "recycled carbon black" for use in steelmaking.
Lin Boxun, general manager of Poseidon, said that chemical recycling technology is mature and can be used to process waste that cannot be reused through physical or mechanical recycling, such as contaminated resources or mixed plastic fragments of various materials that are difficult to distinguish.
Plastic is originally a product refined from crude oil, so Poseidon also converts waste plastic into "ultra-low sulfur fuel oil" and "pyrolysis oil" through chemical recycling, which is equivalent to converting plastic back to the crude oil stage.
Lin Boxun explained that ultra-low sulfur fuel oil can serve as a substitute for traditional heavy oil and fuel oil, reducing emissions of sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and other air pollutants. Meanwhile, pyrolysis oil can be used as a plastic chemical raw material to create new recycled plastics. Lin Boxun also announced that the company will apply for a marine waste certification for its recycled oil products next year, continuing to promote the diverse utilization of marine waste.
The Environmental Protection Agency's issuance of a "Marine Waste Label" sets a precedent; green rates will also be included in the recycling fund next year.
In April 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency officially opened applications for the "Marine Waste Recycled Product Label" to businesses. Any product containing at least 20% recycled marine waste is eligible. This marks the world's first government-issued Marine Waste Label. In the two years since the EPA's initiative began, seven companies and 18 products have received the Label.
Environmental Protection Administration Deputy Director Shen Zhixiu pointed out that Taiwan's manufacturing industry uses approximately 270 million tons of raw materials annually, generating a total of 30 million tons of waste nationwide. Of this, 85% of the 20 million tons of industrial waste generated has been recycled, and 60% of the remaining 10 million tons of household waste has been reused. It is estimated that the annual recycling industry output value is as high as NT$40 billion, and it can also generate NT$120 billion in environmental benefits. Shen Zhixiu stated that the ultimate goal remains to achieve 100% recycling and reuse.
The Environmental Protection Agency is also planning to incorporate the Marine Waste Label into the Green Rate Recycling Fund. This will allow businesses using recycled marine waste to enjoy preferential rates on recycling and processing fees. This initiative is expected to take effect in the first half of next year. Furthermore, products awarded the Marine Waste Label will be included in the government's priority procurement list for environmentally friendly products.
Source: Environmental Information Center (https://e-info.org.tw/node/235529)
