Paper Waste Prompts Petition to Set Receipt Rules|感熱紙不可回收 民眾連署限制

Electronic receipts were promoted to cut paper waste. But shops often print out purchase details and coupons which can't be recycled and defeat the purpose of electronic receipts. This has prompted an online petition to stop this environmentally unfriendly practice. When going to any convenience store or shopping center, you normally will be asked if you want to print out of a receipt or not. Although receipts can be stored electronically now, shops will still print out purchase details and, with it, a long roll of promotional vouchers, as well. Someone on an online public policy forum said that he bought NT$1,000 worth of goods. The receipt, his purchase details and vouchers he got at the check-out totaled 16 pieces. The amount of paper was taller than a person. So this netizen started a petition to set regulations banning vouchers being printed out. Otherwise, consumers should be able to decide for themselves if they want them. Once the payment was completed and I got it (the receipts). I wanted to say, how come such a long roll? The petition notes that receipts and vouchers such as those are usually printed on thermal paper that cannot be recycled; most people won't know that fact. The Environmental Protection Administration says that the cost to recycle this kind of specialized paper is relatively high so it is categorized as normal trash. This material needs to be waterproof, heat- and oil- proof. Because if (this kind of) sensitive heat paper is to be recycled, its pre-treatment would have to consider equipment and cost. So it is not able to be recycled as renewable paper. The petition states that electronic receipts are meant to cut down on paper waste. However, some shops abuse it. Their hope is that regulation can stop the paper waste. The petition has passed with nearly 6,800 people supporting it. Now it is waiting for the government's response. The finance ministry says vouchers are not tax certificates and that it will need to study the possibilities.