The Executive Yuan today approved draft amendments to the Air Pollution Control Act that Premier Lai Ching-te said would help curb air pollution and protect the health of Taiwan's residents.
Recognizing the pressing need for action on air quality improvement and air pollution control, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) announced preliminary draft amendments on June 23 before following up with three public hearings to solicit feedback from all sectors. Premier Lai lauded the EPA for these efforts, and instructed the agency to pick up its pace due to the urgency and necessity of the amendments, which now go to the Legislature for review.
To discourage polluters, the EPA incorporated recommendations from the National Conference on Judicial Reform to create mechanisms for the recovery of illegal profits and the rewarding of whistleblowers. To improve air quality, the EPA proposed stronger controls on fuels and harmful pollutants, while expanding the types of pollution sources to be regulated and tightening emission standards for transportation vehicles and other machinery. These measures are expected to build a more comprehensive system for the management of Taiwan's air quality, the premier said.