AIR POLLUTION DANGER LEVELS SET TOO HIGH, NO USE|"空汙假"標準太嚴 家長批根本放不到假

The air quality in central Taiwan has been poor. Currently, outdoor classes are suspended when the PM2.5 level goes above 150 micrograms per cubic meter, and all classes are susupended when levels reach 350 micrograms per cubic meter. Some parents said, however, that this standard is too high and not effective. In response, the Ministry of Education said it is open to different opinions before modifying the standard. Central Taiwan has been suffering from poor air quality. The PM2.5 level has exceeded 100 μg/m3 in some places, but that's still far below the level required to suspend classes, which is 350 μg/m3. Some parents said the standard is too high and is not effective in protecting students' health. The MOE said that very few countries have a stipulated PM2.5 level for schools to be closed. In Shanghai and Beijing, schools will be closed when the PM2.5 level exceeds 400μg/m3 for 3 consecutive days. However, it is more important to keep students indoor when the air quality is bad. ==CHIU,JEN-CHIEH, MOE Senior Exec. Officer== If we just announce days off without corresponding measures, students may be running around outside, which will make them more vulnerable to air pollution. Therefore we prefer to keep students at the school for their protection. The MOE has also devised other regulations to protect students. PE classes or outdoor activities will be suspended when the PM2.5 concentration goes over 150 μg/m3. The MOE said it will consult the opinions of all sides to determine if the PM2.5 standard for class suspension needs to be amended. The EPA said it will respect the MOE's decision. ==HSIEH YEN-JU, Chief Secretary, EPA== We have collected data in other countries. Their standards are not really much more relaxed, so we will respect the MOE's decision. The EPA said that there are several sources of PM2.5 in central Taiwan: 1/3 comes from industrial production, 1/3 from vehicles, and another 1/3, river fugitive dust. Thus, a multi-pronged solution will be needed to reduce air pollution. The EPA has put forward the "Clean Air Action Plan" in hopes of first reducing the number of air pollution red alert days by 20% within 2 years. TRANSLATED BY：CHRISTINA LIU 中部地區空氣品質不佳持續好幾天，各界又關注空汙假議題，目前只要細懸浮濃度PM2.5濃度超過每立方公尺150微克，就停止學生戶外課，超過350微克學校放假，面對學生家長批評標準太高，根本放不到假，要求修正，教育部表示，需要廣納各方意見。 最近幾天中部空氣品質明顯不好，台中部分測站PM2.5最高濃度超過每立方公尺100微克，但離教育部公布的停課標準350微克，還有一大段距離，有家長批評這標準過高，根本放不到假來保障學童健康，教育部表示，目前極少國家針對PM2.5訂出停課標準，只看到中國上海跟北京，規定三天濃度超過400微克就停課，相較之下，台灣的標準比較嚴。而空氣品質不好時，比起放假，不要讓學童在路上趴趴走更重要。 ==教育部資訊及科技教育司專門委員 邱仁杰== 假如比較輕易的就放假 那學生可能沒有適當的配套措施 他可能在外面就到處的亂跑 那這樣子反而他會暴露在 比較高危險的空氣汙染當中 所以我們是希望說能夠把小朋友 還是留在學校 然後做適當的健康防護 除了停課標準，教育部今年一月也參考美國環保署規範、修正相關辦法，只要PM2.5濃度超過150微克，就停止體育課等戶外活動，至於是否修正停課標準，教育部表示要先蒐集各界意見並會商環保署，環保署則表示尊重教育部。 ==環保署主任秘書 謝燕儒== 我們從他們蒐集其他國家的資料 在討論的過程 我們也覺得 他也沒有說比較寬鬆 所以這部分 我們也都尊重教育部 這方面訂定的結果 環保署指出，中部PM2.5來源多元，三分之一來自工廠電廠等固定汙染源，三分之一來自汽機車排放，還有三分之一來自河川揚塵，要降低空汙必須多管齊下，目前提出「清淨空氣行動計畫」，共有加嚴管制標準到淘汰老舊車輛等十大措施，希望先做到兩年內減少空汙紅色警戒的日數20%。 記者 林靜梅 陳立峰 台北報導