TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan will ban kitchen waste use in pig farming in 2027 to prevent African swine fever from entering the country, Environment Minister Peng Chi-ming (彭啓明) announced Monday (Dec. 29). Peng stated the balance between kitchen waste production and disposal will likely be achieved by the second half of 2027. The ban aims to protect Taiwan's pig industry from the deadly disease.
The government designated 2026 as a transition year, allowing some pig farms to continue using business kitchen waste with local government approval and installation of high-temperature steaming equipment and surveillance systems. The environment ministry reported around 60% of kitchen waste previously fed pigs and now requires new disposal methods to protect the industry. Taiwan must process 1,324 tons (around 1,201 metric tons) of pig-related kitchen waste daily through alternative methods starting in 2027.
Peng emphasized the importance of reducing food waste across Taiwan and coordinated with various ministries to integrate food and agricultural education programs into the national curriculum. He aims to establish comprehensive measurement processes spanning from agricultural production to kitchen waste generation, modeled after European Union standards. Peng stated guidelines for reducing food waste will be explained to the public by late January 2026.
Peng highlighted at the Kitchen Waste Processing Technology Exchange Forum that food should ideally end up in people's stomachs, not compost heaps. He pointed out about 30% of school meals become kitchen waste in Taiwan's education system. Peng assessed the capability to balance waste production and disposal by late 2027 will create business opportunities with over 1,000 metric tons of disposal capacity available daily.
