https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/life/breakingnews/3007923
[Reporter Zhan Shihong / Yunlin] At the temporary waste transfer station in Huxi, Douliu City, Yunlin County, a mountain of over 10,000 tons of garbage has accumulated, with the bottom layers left for more than two years. This has severely impacted the surrounding environment and the quality of life in nearby Citong Township. To resolve the crisis, the Douliu City Office secured funding from the Yunlin County Government to pack and seal the accumulated waste, preventing odors and wastewater from further polluting the environment. So far, 7,000 tons of garbage have been packed, with 4,000 tons still on-site. Mayor Lin Sheng-jue stated that the remaining garbage will be transported for incineration, and the site will be cleared before the Lunar New Year.
Lin also mentioned that Douliu City produces about 60 tons of garbage daily, which is collected by sanitation teams and transported to the transfer station. From there, the Environmental Protection Bureau (EPB) arranges for waste to be incinerated outside the county. However, the processing capacity hasn't kept pace with the amount of waste generated, resulting in the accumulation of 10,000 to 20,000 tons over the past two years, severely affecting the environment. In response, the city office sought approval from the EPB to temporarily seal the garbage using packing methods.
According to the EPB, the waste-packing process involves crushing and compressing the garbage, then wrapping it in layers of specially designed combustible film to isolate odors and reduce the amount of space needed for temporary storage. The goal is to maintain environmental hygiene and minimize the impact on nearby residents. On November 13, the packing operation officially began, with 7,000 tons packed in one month and 2,000 tons transported off-site. About 4,000 tons of garbage remain, bringing the total to 13,000 tons—somewhere between the original estimates of 20,000 tons by the Douliu City Office and 6,000 tons by the EPB.
EPB Director Huang Shihan stated that Yunlin County needs to outsource the disposal of about 190 tons of garbage daily. When incinerators in other counties undergo maintenance, the county must temporarily store its waste. Douliu has accumulated about 10,000 tons of temporarily stored garbage, while Xiluo and Huwei each have around 20,000 tons. Until incineration becomes possible, the waste will continue to be packed as a temporary solution. Both Douliu and Huwei are currently undergoing the packing process, and Xiluo’s packing contract is expected to be awarded by the end of the month.