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Designated Garbage Bags in Taiwan: Where to Buy, Prices & City Rules
In Taipei and New Taipei you must use official designated garbage bags for general waste — but most other cities don't. That is Taiwan's pay-as-you-throw system. Here is who needs bags, where to buy them, how much they cost, and what you can and cannot put in the garbage truck.
Where do you buy designated garbage bags, and how much do they cost?
In Taipei, New Taipei (and from 2026, Taoyuan's government offices, schools and markets), general household waste must go in an official designated garbage bag or the truck will not collect it. You can buy the bags at 7-ELEVEN, FamilyMart, Hi-Life and OK convenience stores, and at PXMart, Carrefour and other supermarkets.
Taipei and New Taipei charge the same rate (NT$0.36 per liter) and their bags are interchangeable — a Taipei light-blue bag works in New Taipei and vice versa. Most other cities (Kaohsiung, Tainan, most of Taichung) charge the garbage fee through your water bill, so general waste does NOT need a special bag.
To know exactly when the garbage truck reaches your street, check live tracking and times in the app. How to use →
What is pay-as-you-throw (隨袋徵收)?
The bag is the meter — throw more, pay more
Pay-as-you-throw charges the garbage fee by volume, using the official designated bag as the measuring unit: a bigger bag holding more waste costs more. The fee is built into the price of the bag, so buying bags means pre-paying your garbage fee; you pay nothing extra when you throw it out.
Under Taiwan's Waste Disposal Act, collection must be charged on a polluter-pays and user-pays basis. Because recycling and food waste are free (no bag needed), the system gives a strong incentive to reduce trash and recycle.
Background
Taipei switched its whole city to pay-as-you-throw on 1 July 2000 — the first in Taiwan. New Taipei phased it in from 2008 and now applies it citywide. The rate has been NT$0.36 per liter since 2013.
Which cities require designated garbage bags?
Two models — pay-as-you-throw vs. water-bill charging
| City | Fee method | Bag required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taipei | Pay-as-you-throw (since 2000, citywide) | Required | First in Taiwan |
| New Taipei | Pay-as-you-throw | Required | Interchangeable with Taipei bags |
| Taoyuan | Pay-as-you-throw (from 1 Jan 2026) | Phase 1: offices / schools / markets only | Same specs as Taipei/New Taipei; timeline still changing |
| Taichung | Via water bill | Mostly not required | Shigang District is an early exception |
| Kaohsiung | Via water bill (about NT$4.1/unit) | Mostly not required | Fee bundled into the water bill |
| Tainan | Via water bill | Mostly not required | Fee bundled into the water bill |
| Other cities | Via water bill (about NT$3.7/unit typical) | Mostly not required | Rates vary; check your local Environmental Protection Bureau |
Fee rates and coverage can change; Taoyuan's household rollout, Taichung's Shigang status and others follow the latest notices from each city's Environmental Protection Bureau.
How the two models differ
- Pay-as-you-throw (Taipei/New Taipei): throw more, pay more — but you must buy bags and they do not work in other cities.
- Water-bill charging (most cities): the fee is added to your water bill by usage — no bags to buy, but water use does not equal trash volume, so there is less incentive to cut waste.
Designated bag sizes & prices (Taipei / New Taipei)
Seven sizes, same price in both cities — NT$0.36 per liter
| Capacity | Per pack | Price | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 L | 20 | NT$21 | Handle-tie |
| 5 L | 20 | NT$36 | Handle-tie |
| 14 L | 20 | NT$100 | Handle-tie |
| 25 L | 20 | NT$180 | Handle-tie |
| 33 L | 20 | NT$237 | Flat-top |
| 76 L | 10 | NT$273 | Flat-top |
| 120 L | 5 | NT$216 | Flat-top |
Prices are collected data (checked Jul 2026); the actual shelf price depends on each store. Sizes 25 L and under are handle-tie; 33 L and up are flat-top. The 76 L item is labeled 75 L / NT$270 in New Taipei.
Dual-purpose eco bags (small amounts, at convenience stores)
These can hold general waste or recyclables; sizes and prices have been unified across both cities since Nov 2019:
| Size | Capacity | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Small | 2.8 L | NT$1 |
| Medium | 5.6 L | NT$2 |
| Large | 13.9 L | NT$5 |
Colors & anti-counterfeit
- Taipei: light-blue and translucent; intaglio-print anti-counterfeit (a hidden T.P shows when tilted).
- New Taipei: pink (newer version grey); full-color 3D laser anti-counterfeit label.
- Dual-purpose eco bags are white in both cities.
Where to buy designated garbage bags
Convenience stores, supermarkets and cleaning-team depots
Convenience stores
7-ELEVEN, FamilyMart, Hi-Life, OK — most convenient for small amounts.
Supermarkets / hypermarkets
PXMart, Carrefour, A.mart, RT-Mart — buy a whole pack for better value.
Authorized shops
Stores marked as designated-bag sellers.
District office / cleaning team
Some district offices, cleaning-team depots and vending machines.
Online
Shopee, momo and other third-party sellers (may cost more) — always check for the official anti-counterfeit label.
Find a nearby seller
Search your city's designated-bag info site. There is no purchase limit for individuals.
What needs a bag, and what is free?
Household waste splits into three streams — only general waste is paid
General waste
Paid · needs bagNon-recyclable, non-food waste (tissues, cigarette butts, damaged clothing).
Must go in a designated bag in Taipei/New Taipei, or the truck will not take it.
Recycling
Free · no bagPaper, plastic, PET bottles, metal cans, glass, clean foam, batteries, lights, clean old clothes.
Sort it and hand it to the recycling truck — free.
Food waste
Free · no bagRaw scraps (peels, leaves) and cooked leftovers.
Drain it and pour it into the food-waste bucket by the truck — free.
How to throw out common items
- Batteries: recyclable waste, NOT general trash (fines apply). Give them to the recycling truck or store drop-off points; tape the terminals of lithium batteries and power banks.
- Old clothes: clean and wearable go to a clothing bank or the recycling truck; damaged or soiled clothes, underwear, socks, blankets, pillows, sheets and curtains are general waste (bagged).
- Pillows: general waste — bag it if it fits, otherwise book a bulky-waste pickup.
Not allowed in the general garbage truck
- Recyclables (batteries, fluorescent tubes, 3C electronics).
- Appliances (TV, fridge, washer, air conditioner, computer).
- Bulky waste (sofa, mattress, furniture) — book a pickup with the cleaning team.
- Hazardous waste (waste oil, expired medicine).
- Construction and renovation debris — hire a licensed hauler.
When does the recycling truck come? It usually follows right behind the general garbage truck, at the same time and stop. Times, routes and sorting days vary by neighborhood and change on holidays — check your local cleaning team or track it live in the app.
FAQ
Your questions about garbage trucks, bags and sorting
Is there a garbage truck today?
It depends on your city, neighborhood and whether it is a no-collection day or public holiday; most areas collect Mon–Sat and skip Sunday. The surest way is to check your stop in the app for whether a truck is coming today, its live location and arrival time.
What time does the garbage truck come?
Every stop has a different time, and it changes on holidays. Pick your stop in the app to see the next truck's estimated arrival and live GPS location, and set a 5–30 minute reminder.
How much are designated garbage bags?
Same price in Taipei and New Taipei, NT$0.36/liter. For example 14 L = NT$100, 25 L = NT$180, 33 L = NT$237, 120 L = NT$216 (per pack); dual-purpose eco bags are NT$1/2/5. The actual shelf price depends on the store.
Are Taipei and New Taipei bags interchangeable?
Yes. Since 1 May 2019 the rates are unified; any bag with the two cities' anti-counterfeit label works in both.
What happens if I do not use a designated bag?
The truck will not collect it, and if caught you can be fined NT$1,200–6,000 (Taipei about NT$3,600 the first time). Forging bags is fined NT$30,000–100,000.
Do food waste and recycling need a designated bag?
No. Food waste goes in the food bucket and recyclables go to the recycling truck — both free and no bag needed. Separating them lowers your paid general-waste.
Can I use my Taipei or New Taipei bags in other cities?
Taipei and New Taipei are interchangeable, but the bags only work there. Other cities mostly charge via the water bill and do not need a special bag; if you move to Taipei or New Taipei you must switch to their designated bags.
Has Taoyuan started pay-as-you-throw?
From 1 Jan 2026, but only for government offices, schools and markets first — regular households are not included yet. Check the Taoyuan Environmental Protection Bureau for the latest.
Can I throw clothes, batteries or pillows in the garbage truck?
Batteries: no — they are recyclable (give them to the recycling truck or a store drop-off). Clean old clothes go to a clothing bank or recycling truck; damaged clothes and pillows are general waste (bagged); an oversized pillow needs a bulky-waste pickup.
What is banned from the garbage truck, and what goes to recycling?
Banned from general trash: batteries, fluorescent tubes, 3C, appliances, bulky waste (book a pickup), hazardous waste, construction debris. To recycling: paper, plastic, cans, glass, clean foam, batteries, lights, clean clothes, small appliances.
Stop guessing whether the truck is coming — check the app
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