Economic Indicators

Surface Area: 36,197 km²​

Population: ~23.3 million (2024)​

GDP per capita: ~$34,920 USD (2024), ranked 18th out of 155 countries​

EU exports in goods to Taiwan (2023) €30.5 billion

EU imports in goods from Taiwan (2023) : €47.3 billion​

Economic Growth: ~4.3% (2024)​

Ease of Doing Business: Ranked 15th globally out of 190 countries (2019)​

Currency: New Taiwan Dollar (NT$); €1 ≈ NT$33​

Corruption Perceptions Index: Ranked 25th out of 180 countries (2024)

Time Difference with the Netherlands: Taiwan is 6 hours ahead of the Netherlands

Circular Economy Indicators

Recycling rate (2024): Municipal Solid Waste ~59,6%; Industrial Waste ~85,4%

Renewable energy share (2024): ~16.8% of electricity generation

Cyclical Use Rate (CUR): ~22.5%

Plastic waste recycling: 104 MT

CUR = Cyclical Use /（Cyclical Use+DMI）

Resource Productivity（RP) (2022): ~82.3%

RP = GDP/DMC(primary)

Waste recovery rate (2024): 96.7% (ranked 9th globally)

Waste Incineration in Taiwan (2021):  ~25 incinerators with a daily capacity of ca. 24,000 tons , treating 97.47 percent of the non-recyclable waste, of which 65% is household waste. The rest is send to landfills, including temporary waste disposal sites.

Wastewater treatment coverage (2023): e.g. Tainan City ~29%

Energy import dependency (2022): ~98%

Digital Competitiveness (2024): ranked 9th out of 67 countries

Policy landscape and circular economy in Taiwan

Taiwan introduced the circular economy as a national strategy
in 2016, recognizing early on that resource efficiency and
industrial innovation are essential for long-term resilience. As a
highly trade-dependent economy with limited natural resources,
Taiwan has treated circularity not just as an environmental
priority, but as an industrial and economic imperative.

In alignment with global climate objectives, Taiwan has
committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by
2050. In line with its 2050 net-zero commitment, Taiwan
established the National Climate Change Committee under
the Presidential Office in June 2024.

The Ministry of Environment has played a key role in Taiwan’s
circular transition. Since 1997, its Four-in-One Recycling
Program has united communities, governments, industries,
and producers under a shared responsibility model — shifting
the focus from disposal to recovery. As of 2024, Taiwan’s
municipal waste recycling rate reached 59.6%, and industrial
waste recycling 85.4%. Today, the Ministry is extending its
efforts from “recycling” to “circulating,” laying the foundation for
a broader circular economy through cross-ministerial
collaboration.

 

 

Electronics and High-Tech Manufacturing

As a global leader in semiconductor and electronics manufacturing, Taiwan’s electronics sector contributes over 37.3% of national exports and is central to global technology supply chains. The country produces more than 60% of the world’s semiconductors, and nearly 90% of the most advanced chips. As global attention turns to the environmental footprint of high-tech industries, Taiwan’s leading electronics firms are embedding circularity into the heart of production.

For example, TSMC operates a Zero Waste Manufacturing Center in Taichung, which
recycles fluoride, silica, solvents, and isopropanol, cutting outsourced waste by 130,000 metric tons annually, and saving NT$1.5 billion in environmental costs. Meanwhile, UMC has built a Circular Economy & Recycling Innovation Center in Tainan to recycle up to 15,000 metric tons of semiconductor manufacturing waste.

Other players are also driving change. ASUS has committed to doubling the use of
environmentally friendly materials in products and packaging by 2025, by replacing virgin
materials with secondary, setting up take-back schemes to collect broken laptops and
improving critical recycling infrastructure.

SAR Technology Inc. is revolutionizing semiconductor production by operating the world’s first electronic-grade sulfuric acid circulation plant, recovering ultra-high-purity acid for reuse, reducing carbon emissions, and enabling a fully circular supply chain. In addition, Innolux has established the world’s first automated LCD recycling plant, integrating zero-waste processes that recover valuable materials like liquid crystals and glass from discarded panels, and reduce both CO₂ emissions and water use and reduce both CO₂ emissions and water use.

Textiles & Plastics

Taiwan’s textile industry has emerged as a global leader in circular materials and sustainable fabric innovation. While the sector represents a modest share of Taiwan’s GDP, it holds around 70% of the global market for functional fabrics, which in turn accounts for 10% of the global textile market. Taiwanese functional textiles are widely used by global brands such as Nike, Adidas, and ZARA, demonstrating the industry’s international influence.

For example, Far Eastern New Century (FENC) has been a pioneer in polyester recycling for over 30 years, transforming billions of PET bottles each year into new packaging and high-performance textiles. The company has built a vertically integrated recycling process that covers everything from waste collection to the production of finished materials, ensuring efficiency, quality, and reduced environmental impact. FENC’s large-scale operations offer a practical model for transitioning textile production toward more circular and resource-efficient systems.

Meanwhile, Shinkong Textile is advancing garment-to-garment circularity, which uses
mono-material design and mechanical recycling to simplify processing and reduce carbon
emissions by up to 58%. Moreover, Atunas, has launched Taiwan’s first fully recyclable outdoor clothing line, using 80% recycled PET and 20% reclaimed polyester. All components are made from single-polyester materials, enabling easy recycling without sorting. The company also offers repairs and has set up 31 recycling stations across Taiwan, rewarding consumers for garment returns.

Food & Agriculture

Organic waste is no longer seen as a burden, it’s becoming a valuable input for food, feed, fuel, and materials in Taiwan’s circular economy. In 2023, nearly 480,000 tons of household food waste were recycled with over 90% turned into animal feed or compost, and the remainder supporting bioenergy and insect farming. This is made possible by a nationwide infrastructure of treatment facilities and policies aimed at closing resource loops and strengthening food system resilience.

Leading examples include the conversion of pineapple leaves into sustainable textile fibres and the use of soy pulp (okara), a tofu byproduct, as a base for functional animal feed and
plant-based protein. King’s Ground Biotech, has upcycled over 230 tons of soy pulp using fermentation, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from feed production by more than 78%.

Circular innovation continues with aquaponics systems like that at Shin Hu Cooperation
Farm, where leftover vegetable trimmings feed fish, and nutrient-rich pond water is reused to grow crops. This closed-loop system reduces reliance on chemical inputs and conserves
groundwater. Additionally, Stonbo Creative is committed to developing a self-sufficient circular ecosystem by using black soldier flies to treat approximately 20 million metric tons of organic waste annually in Taiwan. This approach reduces greenhouse gas emissions and transforms waste into high-value products like animal feed, fertilizer, and biodiesel, supporting food and energy self-sufficiency. Stonbo’s innovative automated feeding system, now patented internationally, streamlines black soldier fly cultivation and maximizes efficiency.

Construction & Infrastructure

Taiwan’s construction sector is increasingly adopting circular design principles to reduce
environmental impact and extend material life-cycles. Projects are incorporating modular
systems, low-carbon materials, and building passports to support future reuse.

One leading example is the Taisugar Circular Village in Tainan, designed by Bio Architecture Formosana. The project features modular buildings, rainwater reuse systems, and reclaimed materials, resulting in 40% construction waste diversion, allowing for easy future adaptation. In Taipei, the Nangang Depot Social Housing  in Taipei is also advancing circular construction through the use of precast systems, recycled steel, fly ash concrete, and building material passports that support future disassembly and component reuse.

Private sector innovators are also advancing material circularity. Miniwiz has developed
processes that transform over 1,200 kinds of local waste into high-performance building
products such as bricks, wall panels, tiles, and air filtration systems. Finally, UniGreenTek is advancing circular solutions in construction by producing recyclable wood-plastic composite alternatives.

Industrial Materials & Chemicals

Taiwan’s heavy industries, specifically petrochemicals, steel, and cement,  are increasingly adopting circular economy practices to enhance efficiency and reduce emissions. A prominent example is the industrial symbiosis within the Linhai Industrial Park in Kaohsiung. Here, companies like China Steel Corporation (CSC) and CPC Corporation collaborate by exchanging and reusing waste heat and by-products among co-located facilities, effectively reducing waste and decreasing the need for raw material imports. ​

In the realm of chemical recycling, Taiwan’s robust plastics manufacturing sector is making significant strides. Innovations are underway to chemically depolymerize mixed plastic and textile waste into monomers, providing valuable feedstock for petrochemical processes. For instance, Far Eastern New Century has developed an ‘all-in-one’ chemical recycling solution capable of processing mixed polyester textiles, including spandex-blended fabrics, into reusable materials. ​