The Environmental Protection Administration yesterday fined state-run petroleum refiner CPC Corp, Taiwan’s Kaohsiung refinery NT$26.3 million (US$873,870) for illegally discharging waste water into the Houjin River (後勁溪) over the past three years.
Bureau of Environmental Inspection Inspector-General Chen Shyan-heng (陳咸亨) said during the past few years, the administration received numerous complaints from residents of Houjin (後勁) in Greater Kaohsiung’s -Nanzih -District (楠梓) about a foul odor in the air.
The agency’s initial investigation into the source of the noxious smell was inconclusive.
However, in August, agents began to suspect possible water pollution and an analysis of more than 300 complaints from residents showed that 42 complaints indicated that a smell of plastic was emanating from the refinery, Chen said.
Comparing the information from the residents’ complaints with the refinery’s operation records, Chen said the agency -discovered that the foul smell was closely related to the refinery’s 55 discharges of waste water during the past three years.
The agency estimated that about 2 million square meters of waste water had been discharged by the refinery.
Grease and suspended solids found in the river were above legal levels, Chen said, adding that the primary cause of the bad smell — volatile organic compounds — was also found, but standards and regulations related to organic compounds have not been enacted yet.
Lay Jing-rong (賴健榮), head of the Bureau of Environmental Inspection’s Southern Taiwan Office, said although the refinery had reported to the Greater Kaohsiung’s Environmental Protection Bureau before it discharged the waste water, the Water Pollution Control Act (水污染防治法) stipulates waste water discharges may be done only in emergencies and the company must report to the local government agency within three hours and it must file a detailed report within 10 days.
None of the refinery’s 55 discharges were considered emergencies, Lai said.
The agency’s decision to issue the fine was based on the unjustified benefits that CPC gained from discharging waste water, Chen said, adding that whether violations have been taking place for more than three years is unknown because the records are only kept for three years.
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