The Taitung County Government on Tuesday began testing the systems at the county’s long-dormant incinerator, saying that it is to begin trial operations in June provided the systems are functioning correctly.
The county said that launching operations at the plant would relieve trash problems in the area and would, over the long run, help keep Taitung clean.
The incinerator has faced myriad problems. There was more than 21 years of deliberation before construction began in 2001. Since its completion and trial operations in 2006, the county government had refused to approve funds for it to become operational, meaning it was idle for more than 16 years.
Photo: Huang Ming-tang, Taipei Times
The lack of a local incinerator had forced Taitung to transport trash to be burned elsewhere in Taiwan.
If other local governments refuse to burn Taitung’s trash — as Kaohsiung has done — the county faces a trash issue, the Taitung County Government has said.
The county and the firm that was contracted to operate the incinerator sued each other, with a final ruling in 2011 stating that the contract should be terminated and that the county must buy back the plant and the land for NT$1.96 billion (US$70.45 million).
Taitung Mayor Yao Ching-ling (饒慶鈴) on Tuesday said that the plant would only begin trial operations once it is fully ready.
Having a local facility that can process trash would markedly alleviate Taitung’s trash problem, Yao said.
The Society of Wilderness’ Taitung branch said that the county should establish transparent oversight measures for incinerator reciprocation funds.
The society said that a committee should be established to oversee the plant’s operations.
The county should make its plans public, including how ash is to be dealt with, the society said.
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