Nearly one-third of the nation's buildings have been classified as "sick" because they pose a health threat to inhabitants, with newly constructed or remodeled buildings having the worst problems, the United Daily News reported on Tuesday.
Quoting a study conducted by National Cheng Kung University for the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA), the paper said that the indoor environments of about 30 percent of the buildings had poor air quality, and the concentrations of methanal, bacteria and fungi are higher than the standards set by the World Health Organization.
The study identified poor design as the main reason for many of the newer buildings being classified as "sick buildings" and poor sanitation as the main reason for most remodeled buildings.
Recently constructed and newly refurbished buildings exposed their inhabitants to the risks of allergic and cardiovascular diseases and even cancer with their fresh paint and decoration materials which release chemicals.
Central air-conditioning in old buildings, meanwhile, can lead to poor air quality when filters are not cleaned or changed regularly, and spores of bacteria and fungi can spread through ventilation systems.
Office buildings cause dangers in the workplace with machines like old printers releasing ozone, which causes emphysema and bronchitis in some people.
In addition, the study also found that about 30 percent of people developed so-called "sick building syndrome," which includes such symptoms as a sore throat, itchy skin, headaches and an inability to concentrate.
Taiwanese spent over NT$4 billion (US$124 million) a year between 1997 and 2003 on treating allergic and respiratory diseases such as asthma, according to Bureau of National Health Insurance statistics.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
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A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it