At the Cabinet's weekly meeting Thursday, Premier Lai Ching-te thanked the Legislature for passing amendments to the Air Pollution Control Act, which he said will help create a more comprehensive air quality control mechanism, curb air pollution effectively and protect the health of citizens.
The amendment bill was proposed by the Executive Yuan to accelerate efforts to alleviate the nation's air quality problems, and its passage signals a new milestone for Taiwan's air pollution control work, he said.
This round of revisions addresses the need to improve air quality and toughens emission regulations on harmful air pollutants. It authorizes the competent authority to set up air quality maintenance zones and enforce control measures over mobile sources of pollution. A whistleblower system will be introduced to encourage the public to report violations, meanwhile, and a legal basis is provided for the recovery of illegal profits. Information transparency will also be required to allow for greater citizen oversight.
The amended act will serve as a key weapon in the battle against air pollution, the premier said. The Executive Yuan will continue pushing control programs and initiatives, and adopt a multi-pronged approach to resolving Taiwan's air pollution issues.