The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) is to research plastic pollution in drinking water and seafood, an EPA official said yesterday, as a response to Greenpeace Taiwan’s call for more monitoring of marine pollution.
Greenpeace Taiwan in November last year and last month held ocean clean-up days in Keelung, Tainan, Kaohsiung and Pingtung County and yesterday revealed its findings at a news conference in Taipei.
In Keelung it collected between 86 and 409 pieces of microplastics — plastic trash that is less than 5mm long — and between two and 39 pieces of trash in different areas off the coast of southern Taiwan, said Hiin Studio deputy executive officer Kuo Fu (郭芙), who collaborated with Greenpeace Taiwan’s project.
Photo: CNA
Microplastics and hard plastics are the most commonly found garbage in Taiwan’s marine areas, she said, adding that the debris often attaches to plankton and microorganisms that have similar weights and volumes.
Microplastics also jeopardize the entire food chain, but research into marine pollution is lacking in Taiwan, Greenpeace Taiwan ocean campaigner Yen Ning (顏寧) said, calling on the government to launch more research on plastic pollution.
The EPA’s Environmental Analysis Laboratory is this year to begin monitoring microplastics in drinking water and farmed fish, laboratory director Yen Chun-lan (顏春蘭) said.
The laboratory is to test 89 water purification plants nationwide for microplastics in the nation’s drinking water, the laboratory’s section chief Yang Hsi-nan (楊喜男) said.
To test the level of plastic pollution in seafood, samples of water, sand and certain farmed fish are to be taken from Changhua County’s Wanggong Village (王功), Yunlin County’s Taisi Township (台西), Chiayi County’s Dongshih Township (東石), Tainan’s Anping District (安平), Penghu County and Matsu (馬祖), he said, adding that they would submit the reports to the EPA at the end of the year.
In July last year, the EPA, Greenpeace Taiwan and other environmental groups formed an ocean waste management platform.
The group has met at least once a month, Yen Ning said, adding that they would unveil new plans on how to tackle marine pollution later this month.
The plan aims to reduce plastics at the source, enact prevention and clean up measures in marine environments, research and monitor marine pollution and enhance public engagement in such efforts, she said.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
RSS