高度的都市化與工業化雖然大幅提昇國民之物質生活水平，相對的也造成數量驚人的工業廢棄物與生活垃圾。為能妥善處置每日生產的數量龐大的生活垃圾與具有毒性的工業廢棄物，相對的將必須不斷尋覓需地面積廣大的掩埋場，廢棄物處理技術的限制亦可能造成土壤與地下水污染問題，嚴重威脅民眾生命與健康安全。有鑑於廢棄物處置所造就的嚴重環境與健康問題，近年來許多先進國家開始推動廢棄物永續利用的4R原則，亦即廢棄物減量、資源回收、資源再使用與再生利用四大原則。此外，為能強化產品消費後得以進入循環利用體系取代廢棄物末端處置的目標，商品製造者延伸責任的推動亦成為目前國際間相當獲得重視與討論的概念。基於地窄人稠與嚴重缺乏天然資源的地理與人文特性，台灣勢必順應國際潮流，將4R原則與商品製造者延長責任等理念納入廢棄物處理法制之中。本文將以台灣環境保護署於2005年所擬定的「資源循環利用法」草案為中心。從比較法觀點分別介紹與分析歐盟與美國的永續廢棄物管理法制的實踐經驗，及台灣「資源循環利用法」草案之立法架構與主要規範內容。最後，本文將以上述的法實踐經驗予以比較觀察後，提出未來建立理想永續資源循環利用法制的具體建議。

In recent years, the incorporation of the 4R principles: recovery, reduction, reuse and recycling into the waste management law and policy framework has become an important international trend. In response to the growing demands of sustainable waste management, the TEPA formulated a legal task force to propose a new waste management legislation entitled the bill of “Wasted Resource Closed-Loop Recycling”. The Legal Proposal incorporates sustainable waste management principles, such as the 4R principles, waste minimization, and extended producers responsibilities. This article will introduce the theoretical backgrounds and some fundamental environmental principles of sustainable waste management. The attention will be turned on to the legal experience of implementing sustainable waste management approaches in the EU and U.S. The study will include the evaluation of the promise and limits of solid waste management legislations implemented in light of EU, U.S. and Taiwan’s legal development. Based on the comparative legal study in this article, some observations and recommendations for the refinement of future sustainable waste management legal framework will also be provided.

資源循環利用;廢棄物清理;商品製造者延長責任; 4R原則;零廢棄

Extended Producer Responsibility;Sustainable Solid Waste Management;Closed-Loop Recycling;4R Principles;Zero Discharge