The Ryukyu Township Office in Taiwan’s Pingtung County has experienced 9 consecutive failed bids for trash collection, resulting in nearly 600 tons of garbage piling up and emitting foul odors. To safeguard the living environment and health of local residents, the Pingtung County government will take over the cleanup operation starting on May 13. The township office has been urged to conduct a thorough review as to why they have been unable to successfully award the bid despite offering the highest subsidy for island garbage collection nationwide.
The repeated failure of the trash collection bids in Ryukyu Township has led to the accumulation of almost 600 tons of garbage. On May 9, officials from the Pingtung County Environmental Protection Bureau and the police department visited Ryukyu Township to hold a review meeting with the Ministry of Environment and the township office. Accompanied by Township Mayor Chen Guo, they went to the temporary dumping site where flies were buzzing around and the garbage mountain was emitting a putrid smell. Residents in downwind villages are suffering, highlighting the increasing pressure of trash on the island, generating about 10 tons of garbage daily.
After surveying the scene, Yen Hsing-yuan, director of the Pingtung County Environmental Protection Bureau, shook his head in concern. County Magistrate Chou Chun-mi is most worried about the mountain of trash jeopardizing residents’ health and quality of life. He has ordered personnel and equipment to be prepared for emergency deployment, with operations set to commence on the 13th to clean up the garbage. During the cleanup process, the Ryukyu Township Office is instructed to disinfect regularly and conduct proper waste segregation to prevent the spread of infectious diseases such as dengue fever.
Yen emphasized that while the county government is taking urgent action to protect the health of island residents, the Ryukyu Township Office under Mayor Chen’s leadership must still thoroughly review the reasons for the repeated bid failures. Particularly, the Ministry of Environment has made it clear that Ryukyu Township currently receives the highest subsidy for garbage transportation nationwide, yet no companies are bidding despite the short distance from the main island of Taiwan.
At the review meeting, Chung Yu-da, a section chief at the Environmental Protection Administration, explained that the original subsidy for Ryukyu Township’s garbage transportation was set at NT$4,400 per ton. Following efforts by the county Environmental Protection Bureau, this rate was increased to NT$5,000 per ton, higher than the rates for outlying islands like Kinmen and Penghu. This adjustment is considered a reasonable price. If the township office fails to award the contract within 6 months, the central government will reclaim the funds.
Township Mayor Chen Guo mentioned that since the end of last year after the third failed bid, the transportation fee per ton was raised from NT$4,400 to NT$5,000, indicating that there was no issue of setting the price too low. The township office actively invited companies to bid, but speculated that one reason for the reluctance of companies to bid may be concerns about damage to equipment during the transportation process and considerations for personal safety. In response, the county police department stated that law enforcement will be deployed to assist in the garbage cleanup process, and surveillance cameras will be installed on the cargo ships transporting the trash to ensure a smooth operation.