Rapid River Waste Screening: A New Milestone in Environmental Sustainability Qorus-NTT DATA Innovation in Insurance Awards 2026

According to estimates by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), half of all plastics produced by humankind are used only once before becoming waste, while rivers have become conduits through which land-based waste flows into the ocean. In Taiwan, statistics from the Ministry of Environment show that the total volume of general waste nationwide has exceeded ten million tons annually.

Moreover, pandemic-related prevention practices during COVID-19 further increased the use of plastic products and disposable tableware. To prevent plastic waste from polluting water resources, Fubon Life took the lead among Taiwanese enterprises in supporting the Rapid River Waste Screening Initiative, leveraging corporate influence to collaborate with the nationwide environmental organization, the Society of Wilderness. Over the past five years, the initiative has progressively developed a highly mature and comprehensive execution framework, including the establishment of a citizen scientist system, standardized field survey methodologies, clearly defined reporting and publication mechanisms for analysis results, and public–private collaboration to co-create solutions.

These efforts have successfully connected the capacities of government agencies, corporate employees, and local communities, driving optimized resource allocation, accelerating waste removal efficiency, and improving waste accumulation hotspots.

To date, Fubon Life remains the only enterprise in Taiwan to have made a long-term commitment to this river conservation initiative. At the same time, Fubon Life has continued to integrate its core financial operations with environmentally friendly objectives by aligning insurance services and corporate operations with sustainability goals, actively introducing various measures to reduce pollution and waste. Through these efforts, the company seeks to expand its actions to safeguard rivers, oceans, and land. The key areas of innovation are outlined as follows:

1. Establishing a Citizen Scientist System: Drawing on the “Citizen Science” approach adopted by scholars such as Professor Shigeru Fujieda of Kagoshima University in Japan in conducting river waste surveys, and through consultations with domestic and international academics and experts, the project was appropriately adjusted to Taiwan’s hydrological and geographical characteristics in line with the principles of local adaptation and environmental friendliness, thereby establishing a survey methodology featuring five key characteristics: public participation, visual measurement, volume calculation, green transportation, and digital data recording, using citizen participation to accelerate the collection of large-scale data and to supplement the human resources required for scientific research.

2. Standardizing Field Survey Methods: In addition to promoting awareness of the importance of river conservation through volunteer briefings, the project organized “survey training workshops” to provide pre-survey education, including theoretical instruction and on-site practical training. A two-day intensive program consisting of indoor simulations and outdoor drills was conducted, enabling survey volunteers to record data in full accordance with unified standards (including estimates of the number of garbage bags and hotspot photography). At least 20 trained volunteers were deployed for each river basin to survey riverbanks and estuaries (to date, more than 350 corporate volunteers and local residents have participated). Surveys were conducted using low-carbon transportation methods such as cycling or walking, combined with the use of digital tools including mobile phones and online forms to monitor and record relevant waste data.

3. Establishing an Analysis and Reporting Framework: The project generated data on the concentration of river waste distribution, visually estimated waste volumes expressed in numbers of garbage bags, proportions of waste types, and comparisons between main streams and tributaries, and translated these findings into easy-to-understand river waste hotspot maps, pollution data charts, and survey documentation videos. The results were publicly released through press conferences, expert seminars, and youth forums. Over the five years of project implementation, a total of ten survey actions were conducted covering six major river basins, identifying more than 6 million liters of waste across these watersheds, while simultaneously raising public awareness of the issue.

4. Public–Private Collaboration to Co-Create Solutions: By providing survey findings and analytical reports to central competent authorities and local government agencies, the project facilitated cross-agency coordination meetings to discuss waste removal strategies and plan the concentration of resources, enabling prioritized clean-up of hotspot areas accounting for approximately 80% of total waste volumes. Among the six major river basins monitored over the past five years, three have subsequently continued follow-up surveys and tracking, revealing waste hotspot clearance rates ranging from 70% to 90%, thereby validating the project’s tangible outcomes in waste reduction and hotspot improvement.

5. Integrating Corporate Sustainability Practices: In customer services, multiple online operating platforms were established and the promotion of digitalized services covering the entire insurance lifecycle—such as electronic policies and electronic notices—was advanced to improve operational efficiency and reduce carbon emissions throughout the policy application process. In terms of investment, the company leveraged its investment influence by actively investing in multiple solar power plant projects, assembling dedicated professional teams to participate in green power investments, and establishing the Fubon Energy subsidiary to support renewable energy development. In addition, green finance investment targets were set to progressively increase investments in low-carbon assets, green bonds, and green energy technologies. With respect to operational carbon reduction, environmental sustainability goals were defined and regularly tracked, relevant educational activities were conducted, and waste sorting, recycling, and source reduction measures were implemented to enhance energy-saving and carbon-reduction outcomes.

6. Expanding Diverse Environmental Stewardship Actions: By supporting the government’s coastal adoption program and responding to joint initiatives led by the Life Insurance Association, the company has organized corporate beach clean-up activities across seven coastal areas nationwide over the past three years, encouraging employees to serve as environmental volunteers and assisting in the removal of nearly 2,000 kilograms of coastal waste. In parallel, annual environmental education programs have been co-organized with universities participating in USR initiatives, using diverse activities to engage corporate employees and customers, students, and the general public, and to extend awareness and concern for marine sustainability and nature conservation.