Night markets are a central part of Taiwanese life. Every Taiwanese person seems to have a favorite local night market, of which they are fiercely proud. But for all the good food and excitement they provide, Taiwan’s night markets are also significant sources of trash and pollution.
Now, Taiwan’s Environmental Protection Administration is working on a program that it hopes will keep all the good aspects of night markets in tact while cutting down on the ecological damage they cause.
It’s a simple enough formula- one county, one eco-friendly night market. But if the Environmental Protection Administration has its way, this formula will one day have a big impact on how night markets are run.
Night markets are a cornerstone of Taiwanese food culture. But the good food and good fun they provide come at a price. They produce a large quantity of wastewater and waste oil every day. This often ends up in gutters, and ultimately, waterways. Markets also go through a mountain of disposable utensils and bowls each day.
A few markets, like Ningxia Market in Taipei, have done away with disposable utensils and introduced a centralized collection and filtration system for oil. This is what the Environmental Protection Administration wants to see in all night markets.
It is helping one night market in each of Taiwan’s counties and special municipalities ditch disposable utensils and install similar systems for waste oil. It’s also going further, tackling nigh markets’ food waste and air pollution problems. The hope is that other night markets nearby will copy these measures for themselves once they see how much the measures can do for the planet.