TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Environment announced Wednesday it will launch a nationwide light bulb replacement campaign from Sept. 9 through the end of October, per CNA.

Liu Yi-kun (劉怡焜), secretary-general of MOENV’s Resource Circulation Administration, said the program aims to recycle about 1,100 tonnes of light bulbs, saving 220 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and cutting carbon emissions by 110 million kilograms. He noted that incandescent bulbs are still commonly used in altar lamps and hallway lights.

Liu added that traditional bulbs contain mercury, which is toxic, while LEDs offer both environmental and financial benefits. A household switching 20 bulbs to LED could save roughly NT$2,000 (US$65) in electricity bills and cut 200 kilograms of carbon emissions annually.

According to MOENV, recycling old bulbs allows recovery of materials such as glass, iron, aluminum, and plastic, which have economic value. Retired bulbs must be properly recycled, not discarded with regular waste.

This is the second year of the campaign, which will involve around 600 stores nationwide offering incentives for bulb replacement.

Hong Pei-fang (洪珮芳), deputy general manager of Zhen Yu Hardware, said that before the campaign, the recycling rate for used bulbs was about 80%. Her company produces around 120,000 bulbs each month and eagerly joined the program to encourage proper recycling. She noted that participation has unexpectedly boosted LED bulb sales and had a positive impact on revenue.