萬國法律事務所

Taiwan’s average concentration of Particulate Matter 2.5 (“PM 2.5”) in 2013 was 22.7 (μg/m2), which far exceeds the target of 15 (μg/m2) established by Taiwan’s Environmental Protection Administration. The founder of the PM 2.5 Self-Help Association, Mr. Shang-Ru Yu has stated that the air pollution problem is sufficiently serious that it can be deemed to be a matter of national safety concern, and in order to remedy this problem, the central and local governments must cooperate to investigate, control, and establish an alarm system for and issue emergency notices for PM 2.5. However, President Ma has never publicly stated any policy regarding PM 2.5. 

In order to improve the air quality, the Environmental Protection Administration announced the revised “Air pollutants Discharge Standard for Electronic Facilities” (電力設施空氣汙染物排放標準) on December 1, 2014, which strengthens the discharge standard for Particulate Pollutants (粒狀汙染物), Sulfur Oxides (硫氧化物), and Nitrogen Oxides (氮氧化物) (“Strengthening Standard”), and adds a standard for Mercury Pollution (汞汙染), and applies these standards to 88 factories and 291 electric generators. 

The head of the Department of Air Quality Protection and Noise Control (空氣品質保護及噪音防制處) at the Environmental Protection Administration, Mr. Shin-Heng Chen indicated that the Strengthening Standards are made according to Taiwan Power Company’s long-term electricity source development plan, and that there are adequate buffer periods of a 1-year period to improve the machines and a 2-year period to add air pollution control facilities. It is estimated that businesses will invest approximately NT$ 4.62 billion to improve their boiler facilities. 

Taiwan’s Environmental Protection Administration further pointed out that after the aforementioned standards take effect, air pollutants such as Particulate Pollutants (粒狀汙染物), Sulfur Oxides (硫氧化物), Nitrogen Oxides (氮氧化物) and Mercury (汞) discharged by electric facilities in Taiwan will be expected to decrease by 710 metric tons, 12,282 metric tons, 30,940 metric tons, and 0.0778 metric tons, respectively every year. In the event that an electric factory or manufacturing factory does not meet the standards after the buffer periods expire, such factory will be fined an amount ranging from NT$ 100,000 to NT$ 1,000,000, according to the Air Pollution Control Act, and such fine could be imposed on a consecutive daily basis.