The New Taipei City Government over the weekend imposed a NT$6 million (US$191,400) fine on a pig farm that it said illegally dumped wastewater into the Linkou River (林口溪).
New Taipei City Environmental Protection Department Division director Sun Chung-wei (孫忠偉) said that it was the first time the city government had imposed the maximum fine stipulated in the Water Pollution Control Act (水汙染防治法) since the act was amended in February to include stiffer penalties.
Sun said the farm, in the special municipality’s Linkou District (林口), had allowed its water treatment system to fall into a state of disrepair that had rendered it virtually useless, and it has been discharging wastewater from an illegal outflow pipe concealed in bushes by the river for at least a year.
The farm has not complied with the city government’s order to update its wastewater treatment system, apparently over the cost such a move would require, he said.
He said that residents living near the river over the past year filed more than 30 complaints alleging the dumping of wastewater, and the city over the past year fined the farm’s proprietors seven times, amounting to about NT$1 million.
The farm’s permit allows it to raise no more than 2,200 pigs, but it has more than 3,000 now and at one time had nearly 6,000, Sun said.
The maximum fine was imposed because the establishment is unwilling to make improvements and has continued to pollute the river despite receiving guidance from the New Taipei City Agriculture Department.
The wastewater, contaminated with pig effluent, could destroy the river’s entire ecosystem, as it lowers oxygen content in the water, stifling the fish, he said.
In addition, the manure can provide the conditions for anaerobic bacteria to thrive.
“The bacteria release sulfur oxides, which turn the water black and give it a terrible odor. Eventually, the water might resemble ditch slime,” he said.
Farm owner Hung Tien-ting (洪添丁) is disputing the fine, saying that the Agriculture Department gave his facility until September to make improvements, adding that he plans to appeal.
Sun dismissed Hung’s statement, saying that the prerequisite for any establishment to receive guidance from agencies of the city government is that it must first stop causing pollution.
He said that Hung should have used alternative methods to deal with the effluent, such as collecting the wastewater and delivering it to a wastewater treatment plant to be processed, instead of continuing to pollute the environment with “blithe disregard.”
He said the farm’s permit has expired and that it is unable to apply for a new one due to the excessive number of pigs it has.
The two agencies would meet this week to discuss whether to close the farm and, if so, how to deal with the pigs, he said.
A strong continental cold air mass is to bring pollutants to Taiwan from tomorrow, the Ministry of Environment said today, as it issued an “orange” air quality alert for most of the country. All of Taiwan except for Hualien and Taitung counties is to be under an “orange” air quality alert tomorrow, indicating air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups. In China, areas from Shandong to Shanghai have been enveloped in haze since Saturday, the ministry said in a news release. Yesterday, hourly concentrations of PM2.5 in these areas ranged from 65 to 160 micrograms per cubic meter (mg/m³), and pollutants were
Taiwan’s armed forces have established response protocols for a wide range of sudden contingencies, including the “Wan Chun Plan” to protect the head of state, the Ministry of Defense (MND) said today. After US President Donald Trump on Saturday launched a series of airstrikes in Venezuela and kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, concerns have been raised as to whether China would launch a similar “decapitation strike” on Taiwan. The armed forces regularly coordinate with relevant agencies and practice drills to ensure preparedness for a wide range of scenarios, Vice Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) told reporters before a
EVA Airways on Saturday said that it had suspended a pilot and opened an investigation after he allegedly lost his temper and punched the first officer several times as their plane was taxiing before takeoff at Los Angeles International Airport. According to a report published on Thursday by The Reporter, the incident occurred after the flight’s Malaysian first officer tried to warn the Taiwanese pilot, surnamed Wen (文), that he was taxiing faster than the speed limit of 30 knots (55.6kph). After alerting the pilot several times without response, the first officer manually applied the brakes in accordance with standard operating
The New Taipei City Social Welfare Department on Thursday celebrated Paralympic competitor Chen Tzu-wei (張孜維), who received last year’s national Golden Eagle award for exemplary achievement by Taiwanese with disabilities. Chen, who suffers from childhood-onset muscular dystrophy, did not attend the first award ceremony held by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in November due to illness. Chen was formally presented with the award at the department, where he gave thanks to government workers for supporting his education and livelihood, the department said in a statement. Chen was raised by the Ai-hsin Home for Persons with Disabilities in the city’s Bali District (八里)
RSS