From pig feed to biogas, how Taiwan is rethinking food waste

For foreigners living in Taiwan, one of the more unusual sounds of daily life might be Beethoven's “Für Elise” playing from a passing garbage truck. People in Taiwan often wait for the music, then hurry downstairs with their garbage bags and food scraps.

This routine reflects Taiwan's strict garbage sorting system, in which food waste is collected separately from recyclables and general trash. But where does all that leftover food go?

For decades, much of Taiwan's food waste was reused as pig feed, helping reduce disposal needs while providing an alternative source of animal feed. But that practice is now coming to an end. 

Starting in 2027, Taiwan will completely ban the use of food waste to feed pigs, pushing the government to expand alternatives such as composting and biogas production.

Here's how Taiwan is rethinking food waste and what the changes mean.

Taiwan's food waste challenge

Food waste is a significant part of Taiwan's household waste management system.

According to the Environmental Management Administration (EMA), Taiwan collected approximately 522,000 metric tons of household food waste in 2025, equivalent to around 1,430 metric tons per day.

The collected household food waste was processed through several methods:

• Composting: 44% was composted.
• Animal feed: 37.7% was used to feed pigs.
• Energy recovery: 10.9% was processed to generate bioenergy.
• Other uses: 2.9% went to other forms of reuse, including black soldier fly farming.
• Incineration and landfill: The remaining 4.5% was disposed of through these methods.

The figures show that pig farming has been an important part of Taiwan's food waste management system, but it is not the only way the island reuses discarded food.

The risks behind a long-standing farming practice

Using food scraps to feed pigs has long been practiced in Taiwan, where leftover food from households, restaurants and other businesses could be collected and reused as animal feed.

The practice offered two benefits: reducing the amount of food waste requiring disposal and providing pig farmers with an alternative source of feed.

However, feeding pigs food waste also carries disease risks, particularly when scraps contain meat or animal products that have not been properly treated.

The risk became especially significant amid concerns over African swine fever (ASF), a highly contagious viral disease affecting domestic pigs and wild boars. The virus can spread through contaminated pork products and food waste containing infected animal material.

Following the detection of ASF in Taiwan in 2025, the government tightened restrictions on food waste used for pig farming and moved toward a complete ban.

A nationwide ban reshapes food waste management

Taiwan is phasing out the practice in stages.

Since Jan. 1, 2026, household food waste has been prohibited from being used as pig feed. Certain qualified farms have been allowed to use approved business-generated food waste during the transition period, subject to strict treatment and monitoring requirements.

That arrangement is scheduled to end nationwide on Dec. 31, 2026. Local governments can end it earlier. From Jan. 1, 2027, all food waste will be prohibited from being used to feed pigs.

To handle the waste previously sent to pig farms, the government is expanding alternative treatment methods:

• Composting: Turning food scraps into organic fertilizer for agricultural use.
• Biogas production: Using microorganisms to break down food waste without oxygen, producing methane-rich gas that can generate electricity.
• Black soldier fly treatment: Using insect larvae to consume organic waste and convert it into biomass that can be processed for other uses.

The transition aims to diversify Taiwan's food waste recycling system and reduce its reliance on pig farming.

Since February 2019, the Ministry of Environment has provided NT$1.3 billion in subsidies for food waste treatment facilities across Taiwan. Completed projects include two biogas plants, 11 black soldier fly facilities and 14 high-efficiency composting facilities, while 45 older composting plants have been upgraded.

The resulting compost can be distributed free to the public, exchanged for recyclables or sold by local governments that obtain fertilizer registration.

Inside Taiwan's food waste sorting system

Taiwan generally separates household waste into three categories: recyclables, food waste and general garbage.

Residents usually bring their waste directly to municipal garbage trucks or designated collection points rather than leaving it on the street. Food scraps are collected separately for further processing.

Common examples include leftover rice, vegetables and fruit peels. Some cities distinguish between raw and cooked food waste, while others collect them together, so sorting rules vary by municipality.

Residents are generally encouraged to drain excess liquid from food scraps before disposal to make collection and processing easier.

Tackling food waste before it reaches the bin

Beyond improving waste treatment, the government is also seeking to prevent edible food from being discarded by managing food waste at its source.

A survey by environmental group RE-THINK and FamilyMart found that letting food expire was the most commonly reported reason for household food waste, followed by buying too much and improper storage.

On Oct. 15, 2026, Environment Minister Peng Chi-ming (彭啓明) announced plans to develop an open data platform called Shengshi (盛食), linking information on near-expiry food products across Taiwan. The platform aims to help consumers find discounted food before it expires, reducing waste while helping shoppers save money.

Peng made the announcement at an event organized by RE-THINK and FamilyMart, emphasizing the need to build better food-saving habits in everyday life.

The broader message is that food waste reduction should start before food reaches the garbage truck.