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EPA says Moon Festival barbecues harm environment

With Mid-Autumn Festival around the corner, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) warned yesterday that the barbecues associated with the event pose a danger to the environment.

The EPA said carbon monoxide levels rose sharply during last year's festival, mostly as a result of burning charcoal. EPA tests found that air quality declined significantly at around 11pm on the night of the festival, as the amounts of suspended particulates, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide surged.

In northern Taiwan, the average amount of carbon monoxide in the air increased by 0.44 parts-per-million (ppm) to 1.41ppm, the EPA said.

EPA officials said that while the air quality was poor at two monitoring stations before the festival, it was bad at 16 monitoring stations islandwide on the day on which most barbecues were held.

Barbecues are increasingly popular as a means of celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival. City and county governments often hold supersized barbecue parties, inviting thousands of people.

This year's festival falls on Tuesday.

The EPA suggested that local governments cancel their barbecue parties out of respect for the environment.

However, the Taipei City and Ilan County governments said yesterday that their plans remain unchanged.

The Kending National Park Administration, on the other hand, said it would crack down on all forms of pollution. During past festivals, barbecues, fireworks and campfires were allowed in the park to accommodate tourists.

Violators of the ban on such practices will be fined between NT$300,000 and NT$1.5 million.
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