When Taiwanese people hear Beethoven’s “Für Elise” or “Maiden’s Prayer” by Bądarzewska-Baranowska, it’s time to take out the garbage. Because that’s when the garbage trucks in Taiwan come and take away the household waste. For people in Taiwan, this is also an important moment of social interaction at night. Read all about the urban phenomenon here.
When Taiwanese people hear Beethoven’s “Für Elise” or “Maiden’s Prayer” by Bądarzewska-Baranowska, it’s time to take out the garbage. Because that’s when the garbage trucks in Taiwan come and take away the household waste. For people in Taiwan, this is also an important moment of social interaction at night. Read all about the urban phenomenon here.
Classical melodies such as Beethoven’s “Für Elise” and Bądarzewska-Baranowska’s “Maiden Prayer” are ubiquitous in large parts of the world, in piano lessons, children’s toys and advertising. But in Taiwan, the famous jingle is a call to action and a signal for the nightly ritual of taking out the garbage.
“I like taking out the garbage because I can meet my friends,” one Taipei resident told reporters.
Taiwan’s garbage trucks are canary yellow, often followed by smaller white recycling trucks. They announce their evening presence with a cheerful jingle, instantly transforming quiet neighborhoods into a street party of sorts. Residents of all ages leave their homes to have their garbage collected. Some come by bike or scooter, others take the opportunity to walk their pets.
This waste disposal strategy is decades old in Taiwan. Here, waste is “not allowed to touch the ground” in order to keep the cities as clean as possible. Therefore, residents have to take their garbage to the garbage collection point by hand. Taiwan was once known as a “garbage island”, but now it is surprisingly clean.
Watch the video to see what the process looks like:
Promoting community through garbage collection in Taiwan
The simple but effective use of Beethoven and Bądarzewska-Baranowska’s melodies has not only led to cleaner streets, but also a better sense of community in many neighborhoods. People wait for the bell to ring and then even queue up to have their garbage collected. This time is used for small talk, getting to know new neighbors or, in some cases, even starting a romantic relationship.
In upscale neighborhoods, the property managers usually take care of the garbage collection. This means that the managers of the neighboring buildings have the opportunity to chat and exchange gossip – the residents who don’t stop by are probably missing out on an important part of the evening.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, neighbors in Taiwan have been more cautious, keeping their distance in pick-up lines and sharing less. However, many of them were happy to see familiar faces, exchange gifts or simply get some fresh air during the evening garbage collection.
Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, used to be known for its littered streets and overflowing landfills. The situation became particularly bad in the 1990s when many disgruntled residents protested for better waste collection.
This led to the government initiating an overhaul of waste management. From then on, residents had to buy blue bin bags issued by the government, a kind of tax on waste production and an incentive to throw away less. This “Pay as You Throw” system included 4,000 waste collection points throughout the city. Illegal dumping was made more difficult and fines for illegal waste disposal were increased.
These measures have worked well: In 2017, Taiwan had the second-highest recycling rate in the world. The country is also a world leader in producing as little waste as possible per person. According to Nate Maynard, a waste management expert based in Taipei, personal interaction with their own waste forces residents to be more mindful.
In many other countries, people don’t even know when waste is collected or who takes care of it. In Taiwan, on the other hand, Beethoven’s music announces the opportunity to get in touch with people and dispose of their waste personally. Many residents know the truck drivers personally and have even become friends with them, making the normally arduous task of garbage collection fun.
It is still a mystery why Beethoven’s “Für Elise” and the “Maiden’s Prayer” are the songs of choice to announce garbage collection. Various rumors circulate, such as that the daughter of a health official learned “Für Elise” on the piano or that pre-programmed jingles are part of the truck technology.
The New York Times called these jingles a “Pavlovian call to action” for the Taiwanese. Like the sounds of ice cream trucks in other cities, Beethoven and Bądarzewska-Baranowska have certainly become part of the soundscape in Taiwan. Deviations such as other melodies or English language lessons instead of Beethoven have not stood the test of time. When the southern city of Tainan tried to replace Beethoven, no one responded.
Although some neighbors complain that the music is too loud, and others are annoyed that they have to organize their daily lives around the time of garbage collection, the system will be maintained, according to the city government. It can’t think of a better way to make garbage collection efficient and even entertaining.
You might also be interested: In addition to clean streets, Taiwan has set itself the goal of a carbon-free future. MVRD’s “Sun Rock” megaproject is intended to be a step in this direction. Read more here.
