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Nature and EnvironmentTaiwan

How Taiwan is beating everyone at plastics recycling

Beina Xu
December 26, 2025

Taiwan used to be flooded with trash, but the country is now one of the top plastics recyclers in the world. How did they do it?

https://p.dw.com/p/55hxq

Taiwan has transformed from a trash-filled past into a global leader in recycling. Strict waste fees, no public bins and daily collection rituals push residents to sort their trash. AI-powered sorting plants and a national recycling fund support high recovery rates. DW takes a closer look at the transformation. 

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About the show

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Planet A

We're destroying our environment at an alarming rate. But it doesn't need to be this way. Planet A explores the shift towards an eco-friendly world and challenges the way we are dealing with climate change.

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