ROHS Compliance

On January 6, 2026, Taiwan’s Ministry of Environment, through its Resource Circulation Administration, released the Guidelines for Circular and Sustainable Retail Product Packaging (the Guidelines). The Guidelines are designed to encourage the supply chain to voluntarily reduce packaging waste and incorporate circular design concepts. While they are not legally binding, the Guidelines aim to promote best practices and could inform the development of future regulatory measures. 

Key Provisions of the Guidelines 

Scope of Application 
The Guidelines apply to stakeholders across the retail product supply chain, including manufacturers, importers, retailers, and packaging suppliers. They cover five specific product categories—food, beverages, cosmetics, detergents, and general groceries—and address all types of packaging used for these products, ranging from primary and secondary packaging to transport and distribution (tertiary) packaging. 

Core Principles and Reduction Targets 
The Guidelines are built on three fundamental principles intended to support the transition to more sustainable packaging: 

  • Promotion of green design, encouraging the use of packaging that is environmentally friendly by design; 

  • Source reduction, focusing on minimizing waste generation and avoiding excessive packaging; 

  • Improved resource circulation, supporting the use of materials that can be readily recycled or reused to advance a circular economy. 

Based on these principles, the Guidelines establish quantifiable reduction targets aligned with international policy trends and Taiwan’s waste reduction objectives. Plastic packaging waste is assessed against a 2025 baseline, with reduction targets of 5% by 2030 and 10% by 2035. Total packaging waste is measured from a 2030 baseline, with a 5% reduction target set for 2035. 

Recommended Actions for the Supply Chain 
To help achieve these objectives, the Guidelines outline recommended, role-specific actions for different actors along the supply chain, as summarized below. 

Industry 

Recommended Actions 

Manufacturers, and importers (handling post-import packaging) 

1) Minimize packaging: remove non-essential components, and adopt lightweight designs; 
 
2) Prioritize eco-friendly materials: use recyclable and recycled materials, while avoiding Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and composite materials; 
 
3) Enhance reuse: design packaging for circular use, and maximize the use of recycled materials. 

Importers (handling pre-packaged imports) 

1) Select eco-friendly products: choose products that use recyclable, renewable, or reusable materials, and avoid multi-layer composite packaging; 
 
2) Reduce repackaging: only repackage when required by regulations, logistics, or information disclosure needs, following minimal packaging principles. 

Retailers 

1) Collaborate on packaging optimization: partner with suppliers to simplify designs and prioritize recycled materials; 
 
2) Encourage loose produce sales: provide unpackaged fruits and vegetables to minimize packaging waste; 
 
3) Apply circular logistics practices: utilize reusable boxes and packaging for transportation and online orders; 
 
4) Provide collection and recycling facilities: gather customers' reusable and paper bags, and recycle plastic, paper, glass, and metal packaging; 
 
5) Give feedback to suppliers on waste reduction: inform suppliers of potential improvements to reduce waste; 
 
6) Exclude biodegradable materials from recycling streams: ensure recycling processes remain efficient. 

Packaging companies 

1) Optimize packaging design: minimize decorative elements and excessive processing, and adopt single-material packaging; 
 
2) Produce with recycled materials: utilize recycled plastics or paper pulp in packaging production to minimize resource use. 

 

Packaging Design Optimization by Category 

To support stakeholders in adopting sustainable packaging practices, the Guidelines provide category-specific design optimization recommendations for each of the five covered product groups, as outlined in the table. 

  

Product Category 

Optimization Measures 

Food 

Encourage sales of unpackaged fruits and vegetables 
 
Reduce non-essential plastic wrapping and padding 
 
Seek alternative packaging options 

Beverages 

Limit the use of shrink wrap 
 
Adopt reusable and lightweight bottle designs 

Cosmetics 

Avoid non-essential plastic outer packaging 
 
Simplify printing and labeling to facilitate recycling 
 
Use recycled materials and lightweight designs in product packaging and containers 

Detergents 

Avoid non-essential plastic outer packaging 
 
Adopt single-material designs for bottles and spray nozzles 
 
Use recycled materials and lightweight designs in product packaging and containers 

General groceries 

Avoid non-essential plastic outer packaging 
 
Seek alternative packaging options