The amendment to the air pollution law has been questioned to give preferential treatment to large factories. EPA: pollution removal and fixed pollution is only limited to high-screen areas, and the standard must be met.

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(Eric Lin / tr. by Phil Newell)

The Legislative Yuan passed the amendment to the Air pollution Law on the third reading on the 25th, in which the two major policies of "removing pollution can offset fixing pollution" and "replacing old vehicles" have been questioned by the public as giving preferential treatment to large factories and bullying economically disadvantaged ethnic groups. today (27), the Environmental Protection Agency held a press conference against air pollution, Deputy Director Zhan Shungui said: "it is over-interpretation and excessive worry from the outside world." It is stressed that the EPA has drawn up supporting measures long before the standards are drawn up. "radishes are prepared behind the sticks."

Zhuang Bingjie, a professor in the Department of Environmental Engineering at ZTE University, said that the replacement of old automobile locomotives is reasonable, but in terms of factory emission control, the government should more strictly restrict the five major factories, such as coal-fired power plants, coal-fired plants, steel mills, cement plants, and oil refineries, not to participate in emission exchange. only in this way can emissions from heavy pollution sources be truly eliminated.

Deputy Director of Environmental Protection, Mr Zhan Shun-Kwai, explains the supporting facilities related to the Air pollution Law (Photography / Lin Jiejun)

The air pollution revision law pays attention to five points: pollution consolidation and pollution removal are all controlled.

The Legislative Yuan passed the amendment to the Air pollution Law on the third reading on the 25th, with five key points including: the addition of a good neighbor clause, a factory source control mechanism, mobile pollution control measures, and a new whistle-blowing clause to encourage the prosecution of lawlessness, and to increase penalties and recover illegal gains.

The good neighbor clause will be decided by the local authorities in consultation with the county and municipal governments to jointly formulate an air pollution control plan to solve the problem of poor local air quality. Health risk assessments will also be carried out in the "fixed source" factory emissions section, especially for harmful air pollutants.

Cars and locomotives are "mobile pollution sources". The amendment will ban old vehicles for more than 10 years, and those who fail the inspection or exhaust inspection can have their licenses revoked at most. At the same time, local governments can also set up air quality maintenance zones to restrict the entry of squid cars.

Pollution removal and replacement is limited to Gaoping area, not applicable to the whole country.

However, the regulation of "mobile pollution sources can be replaced with fixed pollution sources" in the law has caused controversy, and people are worried that if factories do not meet the total quantity control standards in the future, they can be replaced by purchasing waste emission credits from mobile pollution sources such as cars and locomotives.

In this regard, Zhan Shungui explained that at present, only the Gaoping area belongs to the total air pollution control zone and can apply the offset mechanism, while the rest of the area can only reduce emissions and have no room for exchange.

If you want to offset the emission credits, you must first meet the standards, and the exchange system will last ten years at most.

For existing factories in Gaoping area, if you want to obtain the credit, all kinds of pollution sources should first reduce their own amount and use clean coal, and those who meet the "Best feasible Control Technology" (BACT) are eligible. The new factories have to reach the "minimum achievable emission rate" (LAER) before they can move in. "everything has been done and only when there is no other way to get emissions can we buy old cars," says Mr Zhan. "

Zhan Shungui added that the old vehicles that can be replaced by open factories need to be based in the Gaoping area. it is estimated that there are 230000 locomotives and 16000 diesel vehicles that can be replaced at present, and after all are eliminated, they will no longer be purchased for replacement, that is to say, the pollution removal and exchange system will cease in 10 years' time. "it's not always applicable." Jen stressed.

Elimination of Old Che Zhan: treatment in stages and stages

In response to public concern that after the implementation of the amendment to the Air pollution Law, many old automobiles and locomotives will be forced to be eliminated, and the economic weak who do not have the financial resources to change cars will be the first to be hit.

Zhan Shungui responded that since the exhaust pipes of automobiles and locomotives are closer to the height of the human body than the chimneys of fixed pollution sources, the emissions are more easily exposed to the public, coupled with the fact that the United Nations listed diesel emissions from engines as a first-class carcinogen as early as 2012, and more than half of the cars and locomotives in China that are more than 10 years old have caused serious pollution sources and great harm to human health, so people are encouraged to replace their old cars.

For the economically weak to buy new cars, the Executive Yuan will provide diesel car buyers with a total interest loan of 3 billion. At the same time, it is discussing subsidizing the disadvantaged to buy five-to eight-year-old Chinese cars that meet the emission standards with Middle Ancient car dealers.

Finally, Zhan also stressed that the EPA promotes the phase-out of highly polluting old cars in stages and stages, first dealing with large diesel vehicles and second-stroke locomotives in the first and second stages, while third-stage diesel vehicles and four-stroke locomotives are not affected as long as smoke filters are installed and well maintained.

Scholars call on five types of factories not to participate in the set-off system

Zhuang Bingjie, a professor in the Department of Environmental Engineering at ZTE University, said that the replacement of old automobile locomotives is reasonable, but in terms of factory emission control, the government should more strictly restrict the five major factories, such as coal-fired power plants, coal-fired plants, steel mills, cement plants, and oil refineries, not to participate in emission exchange. only in this way can emissions from heavy pollution sources be truly eliminated.

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