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Taoyuan International Airport Corporation aims to promote plastic resource circulation at Taiwan’s largest international airport. (Photo: Resource Circulation Administration)
Sustainability is becoming a new dimension of competitiveness for airports across Asia, as aviation hubs face growing pressure to strengthen carbon management, reduce waste, and align with international environmental standards alongside expanding passenger capacity.
Taiwan’s Resource Circulation Administration under the Ministry of Environment signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Taoyuan International Airport Corporation on May 15 to promote plastic resource circulation at the airport.
The airport handled 47.8 million passengers in 2025, making it an important venue for showcasing Taiwan’s plastic reduction and resource circulation efforts to international travelers, said Hui-hung Shen (沈慧虹), Secretary-General of Taiwan’s Ministry of Transportation and Communications.
What are the three strategies behind Taoyuan Airport’s plastic reduction push?
The partnership will focus on three strategies: reducing plastic use at the source, improving recycling systems, and expanding material reuse, with the aim of systematically integrating circular economy practices into daily airport operations.
On source reduction, disposable tableware for dine-in customers at the airport food court will be gradually phased out. The airport is also encouraging employees to bring reusable utensils and introducing reusable meal boxes for meetings.
Unlock the full article to explore three key takeaways:
- Taiwan’s Resource Circulation Administration and Taoyuan International Airport have established three cooperation strategies focused on source reduction, recycling improvements, and material reuse, with plastic recycling volumes increasing 126% year-on-year in the first two months of 2025.
- Taoyuan International Airport has already obtained Level 4 Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) certification from Airports Council International, becoming the first airport in Taiwan to achieve the milestone, and is now advancing toward Level 5 certification.
- The Resource Circulation Administration plans to use the Taoyuan Airport model as a template for broader expansion into other transportation sectors.
