Illegal dumping in rural Miaoli County has effectively been curbed, thanks to the first-ever joint inspection project carried out by the central government and local authorities, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) announced yesterday.
According to Lin Mao-yuan (林茂原), director of the central branch of the EPA's Bureau of Environmental Inspection, newly-completed freeways passing through Miaoli County had become convenient places for unscrupulous owners of factories to dump industrial waste.
Remote areas in coastal townships such as Chunan (竹南), Tsaochiao (造橋) and Houlung (後龍) became perfect spots for illegal dumping. Statistics show that in 2004, 16 cases of illegal dumping of both hazardous and non-hazardous industrial waste were discovered. Early last year, the situation became worse, with 15 cases reported in the first five months alone -- greatly worsening the environment for nearby residents.
"Trucks dumped not only waste materials from construction sites but also toxic chemical sludge right on the roadside," Lin told the Taipei Times.
But beginning last June, a joint inspection project carried out by the EPA and the Miaoli County Government was launched, with inspectors deployed along major routes and freeways to conduct random spot checks of trucks.
From June to December, six out of 365 trucks checked were found to be transporting industrial waste without a license, in violation of the Waste Disposal Act (
"Since the joint inspection project was lunched, only two cases of illegal dumping have been discovered," Lin said.
Lin said the successful cooperation between the EPA and local government on seizing illegal dumping deserved to be emulated by other jurisdictions.
Lin said that alert residents remained an effective tool for preventing illegal dumping. In the past, most cases were first exposed by local media who received complaints from residents.
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