Environmental Management Administration

Air pollution has long been a major concern for the public. According to statistical data from the "Public Nuisance Pollution Appeals System of the Environmental Protection Report Center" of the Environmental Management Administration, Ministry of Environment, approximately 272,000 public nuisance pollution appeals are processed annually. These cases cover issues such as air pollution, noise, water pollution, environmental sanitation, and waste. Over the past six years, air pollution cases have consistently constituted a significant portion, averaging 96,000 cases per year and accounting for approximately 35.31% of all cases.

To improve air quality, environmental protection agencies and local environmental protection bureaus have actively implemented various policies and measures, such as regulating fixed and mobile pollution sources and monitoring air quality to obtain real-time data. Technological advancements have enabled remote monitoring of pollution sources, while cloud-based imaging surveillance equipment and artificial intelligence are employed to assist in the analysis and management of air pollution.

In recent years, environmental protection agencies have installed cloud-based imaging monitoring equipment in northern industrial zones, integrating AI technology for enhanced oversight. This allows for the effective monitoring of factory air emissions and prevents unauthorized pollution discharge incidents.

The Dayuan Industrial Zone in Taoyuan City, including its Phase II area, is an aging industrial zone that has been in operation for over 40 years. It is located adjacent to residential areas with no buffer zones for separation. In December 2020, the ministry received repeated reports from local borough chiefs regarding burnt odors, acidic smells, or chemical solvent odors emanating from the industrial zone. These odors were suspected to originate not only from air pollutants but potentially from water pollution, which could explain the acidic smells.

Between 2021 and 2022, the ministry employed technological tools in the Dayuan Industrial Zone to identify companies potentially responsible for air and water pollution discharges. Forty-four inspections were conducted, including 24 in-depth investigations and 16 stack emission tests on fixed pollution sources. Thirteen companies were cited, primarily due to issues such as improper operating or maintaining pollution control equipment, non-compliance with permit requirements, or exceeding pollutant emission standards. The total fines imposed exceeded NT$1.46 million.

In 2023, the ministry continued its special inspection project in the Dayuan Industrial Zone while expanding it to include the Guanyin Industrial Zone. AI-enabled intelligent imaging surveillance systems were added to monitor anomalies and stack emissions in real-time. Through technological tools, suspicious pollution sources were identified, followed by in-depth inspections and stack tests. Additionally, comprehensive wastewater inspections were conducted for certain companies.

Statistics show that in 2023, 44 inspections and 13 fixed pollution source stack tests were conducted in the Dayuan Industrial Zone, resulting in seven companies being cited and fines exceeding NT$480,000. In the Guanyin Industrial Zone, 41 inspections and 14 stack tests were conducted, resulting in seven companies being cited, with fines exceeding NT$1 million.

In 2023, follow-up inspections were conducted on the 13 companies cited during the 2021-2022 special inspection project in the Dayuan Industrial Zone. Among them, one company continued to violate environmental regulations and was further cited and ordered to make improvements within a specified period. Another company, suspected of violating Article 48 of the "Waste Disposal Act," was referred to law enforcement for investigation. The remaining companies completed necessary improvements.

According to the ministry's Public Nuisance Pollution Appeals System, public appeals about air pollution odors in the Dayuan Industrial Zone remained consistent at 25 cases annually in both 2022 and 2023. However, in the Guanyin Industrial Zone, odor appeals decreased from 108 cases in 2022 to 83 cases in 2023, a reduction of approximately 23%. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the special inspection project in reducing public appeals about air pollution and odors.

The achievements of the special inspection projects and technological applications in the aforementioned industrial zones will be shared with other environmental protection agencies during relevant meetings or training sessions. These cases will serve as examples to encourage the adoption of similar practices by environmental protection agencies nationwide.