The Taipei City Environmental Protection Department announced that regulated plastic garbage bag supplies are expected to remain steady, and prices are not expected to increase. This announcement comes as plastic bag shortages across other areas of Taiwan have led to fears that Taipei’s city-regulated garbage bags may also be affected.

In a press release on Friday, April 3, the department stated that city-regulated garbage bags are procured according to annual budgets and in prearranged contracts with manufacturers. Currently, supplies are normal, with inventories of three to six months, depending on the type of bag.

The department said if citizens are unable to buy them, it is likely a temporary restocking gap at the stores rather than a manufacturing shortage. The department has since coordinated with logistics companies and sales outlets to expedite the supply process.

They also noted that there are no plans for price increases – clarifying that the prices of bags was set under the garbage collection policy, not as a reflection of production costs.

Department officials urged the public not to panic or hoard supplies. They emphasized that city-regulated garbage bags are not time-limited or quantity-limited items, and that after checking various retail outlets there is no shortage to worry about.