TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taichung Pig Farmers’ Association Executive Secretary Yang Chun-chieh (楊駿杰) on Tuesday urged the public and government officials not to dismiss using food waste as pig feed following a recent African swine fever outbreak.
Yang said using food waste as feed helps reduce disposal costs and lowers the resources needed to raise pigs, per CNA. He noted that pig farmers assist restaurants daily by collecting leftovers and warned against rejecting the entire practice because of one farm’s negligence that led to the outbreak.
To ensure safety, Yang proposed the government establish centralized food-waste processing centers where waste can be safely stored and treated before being distributed as feed.
In response to the outbreak, the Environmental Management Administration announced that all pig farms using food waste as feed must install surveillance equipment to ensure compliance with new guidelines, per Liberty Times. Farms found violating the rules after 2025 will face fines of up to NT$3 million (about US$97,000).
However, field inspectors raised concerns that many pig farmers — who are older and less familiar with technology — may struggle to manage potential equipment malfunctions, per UDN. They warned that the risk of fines could increase stress on farmers.
Other pig farmers echoed Yang’s call for centralized food-waste facilities. Chen Pi-hui (陳筆輝) of the Changhua County Government said the industry supports a long-term ban on unprocessed household and business food waste.
In Changhua County, two of the 33 pig farms still using food waste as feed have refused to stop, per UDN. Some farmers said they rely on processing food waste for extra income, making it difficult to give up the practice.
Japan also uses food waste as pig feed but relies only on plant-based waste from the food industry, per News&Market. It has centralized its processing system, improving efficiency and safety.
Currently, Taiwan produces 495 metric tons more food waste per day than existing processing capacity can handle, putting a strain on incinerators and other waste-treatment facilities.
The Taiwan Watch Institute noted that food waste used as feed typically contains high levels of salt and water, which can damage incinerators and increase air pollution. The group suggested that some types of food waste could instead be converted into fertilizer for farms.
