Cutting Carbon Footprints: How Composting Helps Taiwan’s Climate Change Efforts

Organic waste in landfills decomposes anaerobically (without oxygen), producing methane, a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 25 times greater than carbon dioxide . Composting offers a sustainable alternative that significantly reduces these harmful emissions. By diverting organic waste from landfills, composting minimizes methane production and helps mitigate climate change.

Composting not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions but also contributes to carbon sequestration [189]. When compost is added to soil, it increases the soil’s organic matter content, which in turn enhances the soil’s ability to store carbon. This process, known as carbon sequestration, helps remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in the soil, further mitigating climate change.

Taiwan has set ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change 3. Composting is recognized as a key strategy in achieving these goals, and the government actively promotes composting through various policies and initiatives. These include subsidies for composting facilities, public awareness campaigns, and regulations on organic waste disposal.

Numerous examples in Taiwan demonstrate the effectiveness of composting in reducing carbon emissions:

• Municipal Programs: Taipei City’s comprehensive composting program diverts a significant amount of organic waste from landfills, reducing methane emissions and promoting carbon sequestration in urban green spaces.
• Farms: The Dragonfly Stone Organic Ecological Farm in Yilan County utilizes black soldier flies to compost organic waste, producing animal feed and fertilizer while minimizing greenhouse gas emissions .  
• Corporate Sustainability Efforts: Companies like TSMC have integrated composting into their sustainability initiatives, reducing their carbon footprint and promoting a circular economy(https://pr.tsmc.com/english/news/3189).

Accurately measuring the carbon offset impact of composting remains a challenge. However, ongoing research and the development of standardized methodologies are improving our ability to quantify these benefits(https://villagegarden.info/the-carbon-model/). Expanding composting adoption across various sectors and raising public awareness about its climate benefits are crucial for maximizing its positive impact on Taiwan’s climate change efforts.

Environmental Protection Administration, Republic of China (Taiwan). (n.d.). Waste management in the Republic of China (Taiwan). https://www.epa.gov.tw/en/49D987819E9C98DF/list-0 Taipei Times. (2023, April 30). Turning trash to treasure: Black soldier flies offer sustainable solution to food waste. https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2023/04/30/2003798853