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With our more than 110 employees in whole Taiwan, we are accepting resource recyclables and waste all the way from Kaohsiung to Taipei. In addition to our head office in Taipei, we serve customers from all regions in our plastic recycling plant in Nantou and our industrial service plant in Taoyuan.
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Discover the world of REMONDIS with its approx. 900 branches and associated companies in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.
Solidifying the Industry: A heavy task!
Introduction to the Taoyuan plant
Heavy metals play a crucial part in the success of Taiwan’s economy, with the electronics and semiconductor industry relying on them heavily in their processes. Normally, firms would try to reuse these useful metals by separating them from the industrial waste. But what happens if that is no longer possible? This is where the Taoyuan plant comes in. While the REMONDIS Taiwan Nantou plant gives post-consumer plastics a second life by transforming waste into recycled material, the Taoyuan plant provides a final solution for waste which has exhausted its reuse potential by stabilizing and sealing the hazardous elements within them for good. In this post, we look at industrial waste management in REMONDIS Taiwan, the history behind the Taoyuan plant, and the processes involved to make everything happen.
History of the Taoyuan plant
Like the history of recycling in Taiwan, it all began in the 1980’s. The government figured something must be done to address the environmental hazards of industrial waste, and especially, the heavy metals within it. Up to that time, industrial waste was unregulated, with producers dumping large amounts of toxic waste into the rivers and fields of the countryside without oversight. This sparked multiple environmental disasters, like the infamous cadmium-polluted rice event in 1982: A chemical factory in Taoyuan involved cadmium in its processes when producing stabilizer agents. Without proper treatment, the wastewater was discharged directly into the surrounding rice fields, contaminating crops. Identical incidents were soon uncovered in other counties, all in all polluting over 400 hectares of farmland. Massive backlash from the population prompted the government to act. Experts from the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) were invited, foreign treatment methods studied, and the categorization and regulation of industrial waste finally began, culminating into the Waste Management Act we know today. From then on, producers were obliged to treat all industrial waste, and treatment plants must obtain a permit to be eligible to treat them.
The Taoyuan plant was the first plant in Taiwan to obtain such an operating permit, marking the official start to industrial waste management in Taiwan. That was in 1993. Today, after 29 years, the Taoyuan plant prides itself in being the longest serving treatment plant in the industry, serving over 400 customers, and treating over 10,000 tons of industrial waste every year.
Without the Taoyuan plant, the hazardous waste could end up discarded and untreated, polluting rivers, soil, and crops. This would not only damage the environment, but also endanger the health of countless civilians.
The process in the plant
Industrial waste is separated into 2 categories: Hazardous and non-hazardous. For instance in 2019, the industry generated 236,800 tons of heavy metal sludge, of which about half cannot be reused [1]. Especially for hazardous waste containing heavy metals, sometimes it is not possible for the waste producers to extract the last traces of heavy metals. Currently, the only feasible solution is to stabilize the heavy metals through various methods, one of which is cement solidification. This method is what we employ at the Taoyuan plant.
As always, the process begins the moment the waste is produced, which usually takes the form of sludge. For customers with large amounts of sludge, it is first packaged and weighed at a certified weighing site, where we also sample for irregularities; for customers with smaller amounts of waste, we provide scales that weigh them on-site, and sampling is done afterwards. After weighing, our own fleet of trucks is responsible for transporting the sludge back to the Taoyuan plant, where the sludge officially enters the plant’s process.
The sludge is first unpacked and placed into a shredder where larger parts are crushed into smaller particles in preparation for the most important step of the process: mixing. Here, a hardening agent is added to turn the sludge into concrete, so that the heavy metals within form ionic bonds, turning it into stable, insoluble compounds.
As with all concrete, the treated sludge is packaged and set to dry for 2-4 weeks, after which they turn into concrete bricks. Next, we perform TCLP testing to ensure heavy metal concentrations are kept below regulatory standards. The Taoyuan plant has its own laboratory for testing, which can ensure no heavy metals leach out under natural conditions.
After they pass the test, the Taoyuan Plant has completed its work and the bricks are ready for their final destination. Since the concrete bricks are no longer deemed an environmental hazard, they are transported by truck to an industrial landfill site, where they will spend the rest of their days in a contained environment.
Why choose REMONDIS Taiwan?
That was the process of the Taoyuan plant. Hopefully through our introduction, you have learned a bit more about industrial waste treatment in Taiwan, and the steps involved to provide Taiwan’s industry with a toxic-free environment. Now, if you have a need for industrial waste treatment, you might wonder what sets us apart from the competition. In this section, let us explain why customers choose our services, and why you should too.
In conclusion, service quality and integrity are what shapes our reputation. When people talk about REMONDIS Taiwan, they think of a trustworthy brand with deep ties to the local industry, one which strives to deliver value to the customer and continue its mission of shaping a better future.
Service Quality
At the Taoyuan plant, we pride ourselves in being able to serve our customers’ versatile needs. It doesn’t matter if you are a domestic electroplating factory with one ton per year, or a large-scale wafer producer with multiple tons per month, we are more than happy to help you treat it. We also provide customers with free consulting about the details of industrial waste management. Those that have experience working with us are satisfied with the level of professionalism we exhibit and the care we put in answering their questions.
All-in-one Service
In addition to our quality, we are one of the few companies in Taiwan that own a waste removal and waste disposal permit simultaneously. This means from the moment your waste leaves your factory, to the moment it becomes harmless bricks, the process happens entirely in-house at REMONDIS Taiwan. No longer do you have to worry about finding separate companies to transport and treat your waste. Just give us a call, and our drivers will come by to collect it. The rest is up to us!
Experience
Being the first industrial waste treatment plant in the industry means that we have close to 30 years of experience in the business. With an average of over 20 years under our belt, the management team at the Taoyuan plant is the core strength of our operations. In an industry where treatment plants often have trouble promising long-term commitments, REMONDIS Taiwan stands out as a dependable partner. Just look at our customer retention: Of our 400 customers, more than a quarter have remained with us for over 25 years! They range across different industries, from PCB manufacturing to electroplating, and are spread across northern Taiwan, from Taichung to Taipei. Current notable partners include Yuasa batteries, Amkor technologies, WIN semiconductors Corp. and EPISTAR, just to name a few! If you think these companies are similar to yours, don’t hesitate to contact us. We might just be the solution you need!
Integrity
In an industry where companies cut corners and people don’t always follow the law, REMONDIS Taiwan prides itself in committing to the stringent principles of our German roots. Waste management can only be successful if all players follow regulations and standards are met with the best of intentions. Looking at the track record of other firms, there are often cases of them abruptly closing down and disappearing because their unlawful exploits have been exposed. Lawbreakers come and go, but the most honest among us stays. That is why the Taoyuan plant has a history of almost 30 years!
Let us handle your industrial waste!
If you have operations that generate industrial waste, or have questions regarding the treatment of industrial waste, don’t hesitate to contact us. For those that wish to learn more about our other operations, visit the rest of the website, or leave us a line here.
As always, we are more than happy to answer your questions!
