Environmental Management Administration

• A. Contaminated site remediation results

  Of the 9,144 sites publicly announced over the years, 8,639 have undergone remediation, marking a completion rate of 94%. For sites that remain under regulatory control, local governments are urged to actively carry out remediation in accordance with the Soil and Groundwater Pollution Remediation Act.

  To accelerate the remediation of contaminated sites, the administration conducted comprehensive inventories of regulated industrial sites and actively carried out various investigations into the extent of pollution to determine contamination volumes and current conditions. It has also developed strategies for accelerating site remediation and management as well as established principles and procedures for site review and supervision. The administration encourages contaminated site remediation to incorporate renewable energy development and best management practices, with remediation work accelerated through phased implementation over multiple years.

• B. Revitalization and reuse of national (public) contaminated land
  • (1) Compiling an inventory of national (public) sites

    To accelerate the remediation of national (public) contaminated sites, sites are classified according to landowners and administrators. Professional expertise and scientific technologies are applied in accordance with the “Principles for Zonal Remediation and Land Utilization at Contaminated Sites” to develop practical approaches for phased and area-based remediation of contaminated sites. These approaches are provided to counties and cities to promote land revitalization and reuse, while a performance evaluation system has been established to require local governments to strengthen implementation efforts.

  • (2) Promoting demonstration sites for land revitalization and reuse

    The administration, the National Property Administration, Ministry of Finance, and local governments have collaborated to establish the Dagang Section Soil Pollution Control Site in Nantou City, Nantou County, as a demonstration remediation project. Soil remediation is being carried out at the site, and upon completion of remediation, the Nantou County Government will undertake the development of public environmental protection facilities on the land.

• C. Strengthening groundwater monitoring well management

  The administration has established 461 regional monitoring wells. Regular monitoring is conducted and groundwater quality conditions are investigated, evaluated, and tracked based on long-term trends. These efforts support groundwater pollution management and promote the effective utilization of groundwater resources.

The administration has gradually addressed domestic waste treatment issues through a multi-pronged approach and continues to assist local governments in establishing self-sufficient treatment facilities, upgrading and improving existing treatment facilities to maintain operational effectiveness, and implementing landfill disaster prevention measures. The treatment measures are described as follows:

• A. Incineration plant upgrades and refurbishment

  By the end of 2022, the average age of incineration plants throughout Taiwan had reached 22 years. To avoid issues such as reduced processing capacity caused by increased calorific value of municipal solid waste and the risk of furnace shutdowns due to equipment failures, and to comply with increasingly stringent air pollution control regulations, it has become necessary to replace and upgrade pollution control equipment. Accordingly, since 2017, the administration has implemented the “Diversified Waste Treatment Program” (2017-2022) and, beginning in 2023, has continued to promote the “Diversified Waste Treatment Program – Phase II” (2023-2028). These programs assist special municipalities and county (city) governments in conducting planning and evaluation work prior to incineration plant upgrades and refurbishment, as well as carrying out related upgrade and refurbishment activities. Statistics show that, as of the end of October 2023, 19 incineration plants had undertaken upgrade and refurbishment evaluations.

  As of the end of October 2023, 16 incineration plants throughout Taiwan had commenced upgrade and refurbishment work. In addition, the recommissioning project for the Taitung County Incineration Plant was completed in August 2022, prior to furnace restart, and the facility commenced operations on Jan. 31, 2023, followed by a two-year trial operation period. Through incineration plant upgrades and refurbishment, necessary facility optimizations are completed, achieving multiple benefits including extended service life, improved treatment efficiency, and reduced pollutant emissions. These measures ensure the proper treatment of municipal waste and business-generated waste while maintaining the national waste treatment capacity target of 6.5 million metric tons per year. Upgrading the performance of pollution control equipment and enhancing power generation efficiency are also listed as key improvement priorities. Going forward, the administration will continue promoting next-generation technologies by integrating incineration plant operation and maintenance with major equipment upgrades, with the goal of achieving high-efficiency power generation, pollution reduction, energy conservation, and carbon reduction.

  In addition, to accommodate population growth and strengthen waste treatment capacity, the Taoyuan City Government established the Taoyuan Guanyin Bioenergy Center, which is capable of processing 660 metric tons of waste per day. The facility began test feeding and commissioning in March 2022 and completed functional testing of its thermal treatment facilities in March 2023. The entire plant was expected to commence full operation by the end of 2023.

• B. Improving the performance of environmental protection facilities
  • (1) Revitalization, transformation, and continued use of existing landfills

    To address insufficient landfill capacity and disaster response capabilities in local jurisdictions, the administration has implemented the “Program for Enhancing Facility Capacity for Natural Disaster Waste Emergency Response” and the Executive Yuan-approved “Diversified Waste Treatment Program.” Subsidies have been provided to 12 landfill sites in eight cities and counties, including Taichung City, Tainan City, Kaohsiung City, Changhua County, Chiayi County, Pingtung County, Yilan County, and Hualien County, for space revitalization projects. Approximately NT$770 million in funding has been invested. As of the end of October 2023, approximately 1.09 million cubic meters of landfill space had been revitalized. The program assists local governments in optimizing and reorganizing existing landfill sites and guides their transformation into “multi-functional sorting and temporary storage sites” that can serve both waste dispatching needs and natural disaster waste management. Temporarily stored waste is sorted, volume-reduced, and compacted into bales to maximize landfill space and ensure centralized and proper waste management. At the same time, landfill facilities are being enhanced with measures such as fire monitoring and disaster prevention systems to ensure continued safe operation, timely disaster reporting, and effective emergency response.

  • (2) Subsidizing waste transfer operations and enhancing self-sufficient treatment capacity in outlying islands

    In 2023, the administration approved NT$148 million in subsidies for waste transfer operations on outlying islands, with an approved transfer volume of 37,945 metric tons. As a short-term measure, the administration coordinates municipalities and counties on Taiwan proper to provide incineration treatment services for waste generated on outlying islands. In the medium term, outlying islands are required to make appropriate use of existing landfills. In the long term, they are encouraged to plan and evaluate self-sufficient waste treatment systems by promoting the conversion of waste into fuel, bio-based products, and recyclable resources, thereby implementing circular economy principles and gradually reducing dependence on assistance from other local governments.

• C. Current status of temporarily stored waste, treatment methods, and treatment capacity

  As of the end of October 2023, the total amount of temporarily stored household waste nationwide was 1.65 million metric tons, of which 560,000 metric tons had been sorted and baled, while 1.09 million metric tons remained temporarily stored in landfills. The primary cities and counties with temporary waste stockpiles were Taoyuan City, Tainan City, Hsinchu County, Pingtung County, and Nantou County, accounting for more than 970,000 metric tons collectively.

  • (1) Continuing to promote waste reduction at the source

    The ministry has promoted source reduction initiatives since 2002. Key measures include restrictions and reduction requirements for plastic shopping bags, disposable tableware, beverage cups, plastic trays, and packaging boxes, as well as encouraging the use of personal reusable items. In recent years, in addition to the originally regulated items, efforts have expanded to include the reduction of travel accommodation amenity products and e-commerce packaging. Regulatory measures have also evolved toward encouraging product design changes, incorporating reusable container services, and imposing material restrictions. For example, on July 1, 2022, the “Restrictions on the Use of Single-Use Beverage Cups and Implementation Measures” took effect, requiring chain beverage shops, convenience stores, supermarkets, and similar businesses to provide an NT$5 discount for customers using their own beverage cups and to offer reusable cup lending services. For outlying islands, subsidies are provided to support reusable cup sharing programs, and source reduction service design guidelines have been promoted for convenience stores on outlying islands to assist businesses in adjusting packaging and reducing plastic use, thereby implementing waste reduction measures.

  • (2) Continuing to promote waste-to-fuel conversion and diversion of high-calorific-value industrial waste

    Equipment and technologies for waste sorting and pre-treatment have been introduced to support the establishment of locally appropriate waste self-treatment and waste-to-fuel systems. Through mechanical sorting, high-calorific-value waste contained in household waste and industrial waste is separated and converted into solid recovered fuel (SRF) for use as an alternative fuel in boilers, cogeneration plants, coal-fired power plants, or cement kilns. This approach reduces the burden on incineration plants while implementing the circular economy principle of converting waste into energy.

  • (3) Assisting local governments in establishing self-sufficient treatment facilities

    For counties and cities without operating incineration plants or with insufficient treatment capacity, localized waste-to-energy and resource recovery facilities are being established according to local conditions. Examples include the construction of a bioenergy center in Taoyuan City, the recommissioning of the existing incineration plant in Taitung County, the coordination of co-processing through cement kilns in Hualien County, the construction of a high-efficiency thermal treatment facility in Hsinchu County, and the establishment of a mechanical sorting facility in Yunlin County to convert waste into alternative fuel for use by local industries. On outlying islands, NT$1 billion will be invested over the next five years. In the short term, mechanical sorting and pre-treatment will be implemented to reduce waste transfer volumes. In the medium to long term, waste-to-energy and resource recovery facilities will be established to gradually achieve localized self-sufficient waste treatment.

  • (4) Providing incentives and subsidies to strengthen regional waste management cooperation

    To increase incentives for local governments to assist in processing household waste designated by the administration from other counties and cities, and based on the principle of reciprocity, the “Diversified Waste Treatment Program – Phase II” includes incentive subsidies and special project arrangements to mobilize treatment capacity. A subsidy of NT$2,000 is provided for each metric ton of household waste processed on behalf of another jurisdiction, thereby increasing the willingness of county and city governments to provide treatment capacity under the ministry’s emergency mobilization mechanism.

  • (5) Upgrading and improving existing treatment facilities to maintain operational capacity

    All 24 incineration plants nationwide have undertaken upgrade and refurbishment projects. To date, upgrades have been completed at nine plants, are underway at seven plants, and are being planned by local governments for the remaining eight plants. During the refurbishment period, the administration coordinates project schedules among facilities and implements the work in phases over multiple years to maintain a stable national waste treatment capacity of approximately 6.5 million metric tons per year.

  • (6) Strengthening landfill rehabilitation and disaster prevention measures

    The administration will assist local governments in optimizing and rehabilitating existing landfills and guide their transformation into “multi-functional sorting and temporary storage sites” capable of supporting both waste dispatching operations and the management of waste generated by natural disasters. Temporarily stored waste will be sorted, volume-reduced, and baled to improve landfill space utilization and ensure proper and centralized waste management. At the same time, emergency response measures, including fire monitoring and disaster prevention systems, will be strengthened to ensure the continued safe operation of landfill facilities, timely disaster reporting, and effective emergency response.

• D. Preventing landfill fires

  To assist local governments in strengthening disaster prevention measures for stockpiled waste, the administration provides subsidies for landfill rehabilitation and organization projects, as well as waste sorting and volume reduction programs. Preventive measures and post-disaster response actions are promoted as follows:

  • (1) Preventive monitoring: establish remote CCTV surveillance systems, firefighting systems, and other AI-based monitoring equipment integrated with intelligent inspection systems to monitor frontline conditions in real time, enabling effective prevention, early warning, and immediate reporting. In addition, autonomous fire safety operating procedures are established (such as firebreak spacing, firefighting facilities, and disaster response training).
  • (2) Proper waste classification and segregated storage: organize existing landfill space to ensure proper and sanitary storage, classify and store waste separately, and establish schedules for waste removal and area-specific disposal.
  • (3) Biogas prevention: strengthen landfill cover soil operations and improve systems by installing landfill gas venting pipes, infrared thermometers, and fire prevention warning systems.
  • (4) Post-disaster waste management: the volume of waste generated following disasters is often too large to be sent directly to incineration plants for immediate treatment. In addition, such waste frequently contains large quantities of soil, rocks, silt, and other non-combustible materials that do not meet incineration plant acceptance requirements. Accordingly, post-disaster waste will first be consolidated at authorized landfills for sorting and pre-treatment before being transferred to incineration plants. Soil, rocks, silt, and other non-combustible materials will remain at the landfill for use as fill material in disaster prevention and firefighting emergency response operations.
• E. Accelerating the replacement of aging garbage trucks with low-carbon garbage trucks

  The administration continues to provide subsidies to local governments to replace aging garbage trucks with low-carbon garbage trucks. From 2018 to 2022, funding was provided for the replacement of 449 garbage trucks, resulting in cumulative carbon emission reductions of approximately 5,865 metric tons. In 2023, NT$170 million was budgeted to subsidize 20 local governments, and approval was granted for the replacement of 100 garbage trucks. Penghu County did not submit an application, while Taipei City, due to its classification as a Level 1 fiscal-capacity jurisdiction, was not eligible for subsidies (details are shown in the table below).

  County/City	Quantity
  New Taipei City	7
  Taoyuan City	7
  Taichung City	7
  Tainan City	9
  Kaohsiung City	8

  County/City	Quantity
  Keelung City	1
  Hsinchu County	5
  Hsinchu City	2
  Miaoli County	5
  Changhua County	7

  County/City	Quantity
  Nantou County	5
  Yunlin County	3
  Chiayi County	9
  Chiayi City	2
  Pingtung County	8

  County/City	Quantity
  Yilan County	4
  Hualien County	3
  Taitung County	6
  Kinmen County	1
  Lienchiang County	1

• A. Recognition of outstanding sanitation workers

  The “National Outstanding Sanitation Worker Selection Program” is implemented to select 102 National Outstanding Sanitation Workers from among more than 30,000 sanitation workers nationwide. In 2023, the “2023 National Outstanding Sanitation Worker Awards Ceremony” is scheduled to be held in Tainan City to recognize sanitation workers for their contributions to maintaining environmental cleanliness throughout the country and to boost workforce morale.

• B. Promoting occupational safety and health (OSH) for sanitation workers

  To implement President Tsai’s directive to protect the occupational safety of sanitation workers, the ministry established the OSH Promotion Committee for Sanitation Workers, appointing representatives from OSHA and the Institute of Labor, OSH of the Ministry of Labor, local environmental protection agencies, and sanitation worker unions as committee members. Committee meetings are held quarterly to discuss measures for promoting OSH and to facilitate exchanges with labor unions and local environmental protection agencies.

  The OSH Promotion Program for Sanitation Workers is implemented to effectively identify deficiencies in OSH management within sanitation teams, provide necessary guidance and assistance, and invite assessment committee members to conduct evaluations. These efforts also assist local environmental protection agencies in establishing OSH management organizations and staffing that comply with the requirements of OSH legislation. Safety and health education and training are implemented. In 2022 and 2023, assistance was provided for the training of 431 first-aid personnel, 144 mobile crane (grapple truck) operators, and 54 loader and excavator operators. In addition, eight in-service OSH training courses were conducted for occupational safety supervisors, first-aid personnel, and operators of vehicle-mounted construction machinery. Local environmental protection agencies were also supervised in conducting a cumulative total of 269 sessions of hazard communication and disaster prevention training or operational safety promotion and observation activities for sanitation workers, comprehensively enhancing occupational safety awareness among sanitation personnel. Training on the Labor Standards Act was also provided for sanitation team management personnel, along with human resource competency training for supervisors.

• C. Procurement of work uniforms for sanitation workers

  To implement President Tsai’s policy for the care of sanitation workers and improvement of service quality, funding was secured from the Executive Yuan to subsidize local governments in the procurement of work uniforms. In 2019, complete sets of work uniforms (including short- and long-sleeved polo shirts, jackets, and pants) were subsidized for sanitation workers nationwide. In 2020, funding was allocated to provide each sanitation worker nationwide with a short-sleeved polo shirt and work pants. In 2022, subsidies were provided for long-sleeved polo shirts for winter and pants for sanitation workers nationwide, with all deliveries and inspections completed. In 2023, thermal vests and sleeves for sun protection were subsidized, with inspections currently underway.

• D. Optimization of sanitation team facilities

  The administration will assist local governments in integrating and promoting environmental protection facility optimization and improvement projects under the “Diversified Waste Treatment Program – Phase II.” In 2023, the “2023–2024 Sanitation Team Environmental Protection Facility (Equipment) Management Integration and Working Environment Enhancement Program” is being implemented to strengthen guidance for local environmental protection authorities in improving the working environments of sanitation workers. Priority assistance is being provided for the optimization and improvement of sanitation team facilities to create safe, comfortable, and worker-friendly working environments.

• A. Promoting high-quality public restrooms

  In response to local government demand for public restroom facilities, subsidies have been approved for local governments to construct or renovate public restrooms under the Executive Yuan-approved “Promotion Plan for High-Quality Public Restrooms and Beautiful Environments” (2019-2024), with the aim of replacing aging public restrooms. Statistics show that from 2019 through the end of October 2023, subsidies were provided for the construction or renovation of 4,147 public restrooms, incorporating local cultural characteristics to create high-quality public restroom facilities.

  To improve the cleanliness and quality of public restrooms nationwide, a graded public restroom evaluation and management system has been established, accompanied by strengthened environmental cleanliness inspections and public outreach efforts. The percentage of public restrooms receiving an outstanding rating or higher has reached 95%. In a 2022 public satisfaction survey regarding public restroom use, the overall satisfaction rate reached 90.9%, an increase of 5.9% from the 85% recorded in the 2019 survey. Local governments are subsidized to carry out public restroom cleaning and maintenance, and the public is encouraged to participate in public restroom quality evaluation activities (July 15 to Sept. 15, 2023). Through the development of high-quality public restrooms, enhanced environmental cleanliness, and improvement measures, the goal is to improve environmental sanitation and provide the public with restroom environments that are “not dirty, not smelly, and not wet,” ensuring a pleasant and refreshing user experience.

• B. Dengue fever prevention and control

  The dengue fever season extends from May to November each year and has now entered its peak period. Frequent rainfall in central and southern Taiwan has recently increased the risk of dengue transmission. In response to the continued rise in domestic dengue fever cases and the increasing risk of outbreaks, coordination between central and local governments on dengue prevention and control efforts has been strengthened.

  The ministry and the Ministry of Health and Welfare jointly convene the “Executive Yuan Meeting on Important Mosquito-Borne Disease Prevention and Control,” which has been held once every two weeks since July 26, 2023, to respond promptly to changing epidemic conditions. Meetings are also held monthly with local environmental protection agencies to review implementation efforts.

  To remind and encourage the public nationwide to strengthen self-protective measures, public awareness campaigns are conducted through press releases, Facebook posts, and other communication channels. The public is urged to remove containers with standing water around homes and to implement the principles of “inspect, empty, clean, and scrub” to eliminate mosquito breeding sources. The public is also advised to wear light-colored long-sleeved clothing when outdoors to avoid mosquito bites and to apply mosquito repellents approved by government authorities to exposed skin, thereby helping prevent the spread of dengue fever.

  Subsidies are provided to local environmental protection agencies to support various dengue fever prevention and control activities, including the procurement of disease-control supplies, pesticides, spraying equipment, and mowing machines; environmental sanitation and vector-control inspections and re-inspections; temporary personnel hiring; and maintenance of the cloud-based disease-control resource sharing platform, which enables local governments to check inventory levels. The three regional centers of environmental management under the EMA, together with local environmental protection agencies, have strengthened environmental inspections and auditing. If mosquito larvae are found breeding on a property, violators may be cited under Article 50, Paragraph 3 of the Waste Disposal Act and fined between NT$1,200 and NT$6,000, in addition to being ordered to make corrections within a specified time limit.

• A. Continuing to enhance prosecutor-police-environment cooperation to combat illegal activities

  Since 2019, the administration has convened the “National Environmental Law Enforcement Seminar” annually, inviting environmental law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and police authorities to share experiences on environmental law enforcement operations and national land protection cases. In addition, outstanding chief prosecutors from local prosecutors’ offices responsible for environmental crime cases are proactively invited to serve as consultants to the EMA. Quarterly consultation meetings are held to review environmental crime issues, cooperation strategies, and legal enforcement matters, and to develop law enforcement strategies.

• B. Prevention of environmental pollution crimes

  The administration has designated remote law enforcement as a key policy and adopted a forward-looking approach to planning comprehensive environmental improvement strategies. This has shifted Taiwan’s environmental quality management concept from “pollution control” to “preventive management.” One of the most significant changes has been the transition from passive to proactive and systematic handling of environmental issues. Meanwhile, source management measures are used to strengthen businesses’ compliance awareness. Regulated businesses are invited to participate in industry self-management and pollution prevention seminars. Through the promotion of environmental regulations, explanations of inspection cases, and presentations by exemplary businesses on pollution prevention practices, communication with industry representatives is strengthened to better understand their needs while balancing economic development and regulatory compliance, with the goal of creating mutually beneficial outcomes.

• C. Enhancing investigation techniques and strengthening law enforcement capacity

  In recent years, the administration has continued to incorporate interdisciplinary experts and scholars, including environmental engineers, finance and taxation specialists, and legal professionals, as well as technological tools, to assist inspectors in investigating environmental pollution crimes. These efforts have significantly improved the efficiency of environmental crime investigations and strengthened interdisciplinary cooperation capabilities.

• D. Promoting smart and digital environmental inspections

  New digital inspection methods have been introduced through the development of an Inspection Management Platform that integrates information from 20 internal and external systems related to business permits, reporting requirements, and other regulatory data. Artificial intelligence techniques, including machine learning and big data analytics, are used to convert law enforcement experience into system logic capable of identifying potential pollution sources for inspection and preventing environmental pollution. Smart tablets are also used to support on-site inspection activities. Compared with previous paper-based documentation and data retrieval methods, digital inspections save at least 20 minutes per case. Since August 2022, digital inspections have been promoted to local environmental protection agencies, reaching 14 counties and cities. Statistics show that from January 2022 through October 2023, the three regional centers of environmental management and local environmental protection agencies conducted 15,645 on-site inspections using smart tablets. With each case saving at least 20 minutes compared with paper-based methods, it is estimated that at least 312,900 minutes were saved between January 2022 and October 2023. In 2024, environmental quality data will be collected, visualized, and made available for use in in-depth inspections. The administration will also continue promoting digital inspection tools to local environmental protection agencies, with a cumulative target of reaching 15 counties and cities. These efforts are intended to improve inspection efficiency and advance digital, paperless operations.

• A. Pursuant to Article 18 of the Environmental Impact Assessment Act, the administration conducts environmental impact assessment (EIA) supervision. Currently, 582 cases are under regulatory oversight. To strengthen the effectiveness of EIA supervision, development projects are managed under a tiered classification system based on the nature of the development activity. In addition, for major development projects such as the Sixth Naphtha Cracker Complex-related projects, the administration convenes experts and scholars, local residents, environmental protection organizations, and relevant agencies to establish project-specific supervision committees. Meeting records are publicly disclosed on the ministry’s website to promote information transparency, public oversight, and public participation.
• B. In addition to conducting supervision in accordance with the above principles and plans, the administration has developed several improvement measures to further enhance the effectiveness of EIA supervision: (1) standardizing supervision procedures; (2) establishing a reporting system for developers to report the implementation of EIA commitments; (3) incorporating EIA commitments into permits issued by relevant competent authorities; (4) strengthening communication and dissemination of EIA supervision laws and regulations.
• C. In recent years, in response to energy transition and large-scale construction of offshore wind power development projects, the administration has established an interagency coordination platform to strengthen EIA supervision of offshore wind power developments. This platform facilitates interministerial collaboration and data integration and exchange. In addition to convening project-specific and platform meetings on an ad hoc basis, the administration also conducts joint law enforcement activities with relevant ministries and agencies.
• D. Regional governance and environmental pollution early warning mechanisms: the administration’s law enforcement approach is being upgraded from the traditional two-dimensional perspective to a three-dimensional spatial approach for inspections and oversight. Technological tools will be developed and applied, including environmental monitoring databases and warning systems for EIA projects, digital EIA supervision management systems, and remote monitoring systems for EIA development sites. These technologies will be used to enhance the effectiveness of environmental enforcement.