Explosive substances such as ammonium nitrate and hydrofluoric acid would be restricted from imports, manufacturing, usage, storage, transportation and sale in Taiwan, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) said yesterday.
The agency issued a preview of planned amendments to regulations that are to take effect on July 1.
Hydrofluoric acid, which emerges when hydrogen fluoride is dissolved in water, has caused many injuries in industrial accidents and has been used to maliciously harm people, and should be regulated, Toxic and Chemical Substance Bureau Director-General Hsieh Yein-rui (謝燕儒) said.
Photo: Lo Chi, Taipei Times
An ammonium nitrate explosion in Beirut last year caused at least 210 deaths and 7,500 injuries, Hsieh said, adding that the substance should be regulated.
Ammonium nitrate is also used to produce helium, the first chemical restricted by the EPA, Hsieh said.
The online sale of the substances would be banned, as well as their unlicensed transportation, storage or sale, he said.
The regulations would also require detailed labeling, monthly reports and other measures, Hsieh said.
Contingency measures and other standards would be enforced at factories that handle more than 50,000kg of 80 percent pure ammonium nitrate, and 300kg of solutions with more than 10 percent hydrofluoric acid, he said.
The regulations would stipulate fines of NT$30,000 to NT$300,000 (US$1,051 to US$10,514) for breaches when transporting the substances, Hsieh said.
Contraventions of accident-prevention mesaures would result in fines of NT$30,000 to NT$500,000, he said.
Accidents involving the substances leading to fatalities or injury would be punished with 7 years to life in prison and fines of up to NT$10 million, Hsieh said.
Facilities handling the substances without having insurance or without protective equipment would be fined NT$1 million to NT$5 million, he said.
The EPA had also found that some aluminum cleaning products sold in Taiwan contained hydrofluoric acid, he said.
The agency has asked manufacturers to add warnings to their labeling that inform customers of measures in case of an accident, Hsieh 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