Poor environmental regulations regarding the establishment of waste landfills have jeopardized the safety of water resources and some projects involving building new landfills have to be halted immediately, environmentalists said yesterday.
Dozens of environmentalists and residents affected by landfill projects yesterday protested in front of the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) building, asking for a comprehensive review of related laws.
According to existing environmental regulations, proposals for building new landfills on slopes are exempted from an environmental impact assessment (EIA) as long as the area is smaller than two hectares. Chen Jiau-hua (
"These bad environmental laws have to be amended immediately," Chen said.
Taking landfill projects in Tzauchiau (造橋), Miaoli County, and in Dongshan (東山) Township, Tainan County, as examples, Chen said that possible negative impacts on water resources had been ignored when their proposals were reviewed.
In addition to poor environmental regulations, Chen said that the construction of landfill projects involving local gangsters were even worse. Chen Ching-chi (陳清奇), a farmer from Mialo, produced medical certificates, saying that his opposition to a local landfill project had led to a brutal beating.
Meanwhile, residents of Sindian, Taipei County, urged the EPA to block construction of a landfill for hazardous waste near their homes, saying that it would eventually cause pollution in both the Sindian River and the groundwater of the Taipei metropolitan area.
EPA officials said yesterday that local governments had to ensure effective communication with residents on issues regarding landfill projects.
"The launch of waste incinerators in the early 1990s has led to the closure of more than 300 landfills nationwide. Currently, 174 operational waste landfills will be closed within two years. As for proposals to build new ones, we will demand local governments to communicate with people in those areas more effectively," said Chen Hsiung-wen (陳雄文), director-general of the EPA's Bureau of Solid Waste Management.
Chen said that the EPA plans to have at least one landfill for waste that cannot be appropriately treated in incinerators.
Three batches of banana sauce imported from the Philippines were intercepted at the border after they were found to contain the banned industrial dye Orange G, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday. From today through Sept. 2 next year, all seasoning sauces from the Philippines are to be subject to the FDA’s strictest border inspection, meaning 100 percent testing for illegal dyes before entry is allowed, it said in a statement. Orange G is an industrial coloring agent that is not permitted for food use in Taiwan or internationally, said Cheng Wei-chih (鄭維智), head of the FDA’s Northern Center for
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
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UNDER PRESSURE: The report cited numerous events that have happened this year to show increased coercion from China, such as military drills and legal threats The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) aims to reinforce its “one China” principle and the idea that Taiwan belongs to the People’s Republic of China by hosting celebratory events this year for the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, the “retrocession” of Taiwan and the establishment of the UN, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said in its latest report to the Legislative Yuan. Taking advantage of the significant anniversaries, Chinese officials are attempting to assert China’s sovereignty over Taiwan through interviews with international news media and cross-strait exchange events, the report said. Beijing intends to reinforce its “one China” principle
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