ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS DEMAND RAISING AIR POLLUTION FEE |遏止汙染源排放 環團要求提高空汙費

Last November, Premier Lin Chuan visited the Da Lin Pu area in Kaohsiung and promised the locals that he will work to improve air pollution problems there. However, so far, no specific plans have been made. On May 26, over 20 environmental groups attended a public hearing at the Legislative Yuan, asking the government to charge petrochemical companies a higher air pollution fee to reduce air pollutant discharge. Increase air pollution fee! Increase air pollution fee! Shouting slogans and holding banners, over 20 environmental groups protested at a public hearing held inside the Legislative Yuan, asking the government to deal with air pollution in central and southern Taiwan. According to the National Health Research Institutes' latest survey, the Da Lin Pu area in Kaohsiung has the worst pollution levels in Taiwan. Benzene levels are high in the area, and long term exposure to the chemical may increase the risk of cancer. Environmental groups believe that charging petrochemical companies a higher air pollution fee can help reduce air pollutant discharge. ==HUANG YI-YING Chairman, Air Clean for Kaohsiung== We hope that the government can increase the air pollution fee to make these companies act on air pollution. If they fail to improve, then the government should charge an even higher fee. Environmental groups also think that the air pollution fees should be used proportionally in health risk assessment and epidemiology surveys. Such reports should be reviewed publicly. Petrochemical companies should take on corporate social responsibilities as well, and allocate a fixed proportion of their revenues to improve air pollution control. ==CHEN CHIAO-HUA Convener, South Taiwan Air Clear== For example, the FPG's Sixth Naphtha Cracker earns NT$300 billion, and the CPC Corporation earns NT$100 billion a year. They should use 5 percent of their profits for air pollution control. ==KUO MENG-YUN Section Chief, Dept. of Air Quality and Noise Control, EPA== We have started making supplementary measures that will be used to assist health risk assessment jobs on harmful pollutants. The Environmental Protection Administration said by the end of this month, they will announce an increase in the air pollution fee targeting stationary air pollution sources in fall and winter. The new regulation is expected to be implemented in October, generating an estimated NT$170 million per year. The EPA also said that in the future, it will provide incentives and encourage companies to reduce pollutant emissions. TRANSLATED BY ARIEL HSIEH 去年11月，行政院長林全曾經到高雄大林蒲地區，向居民承諾會改善高雄空氣汙染，不過到目前還沒有提出具體計畫。今天20多個環保團體到立法院召開公聽會，要求政府調高空汙費、以遏止汙染源排放。 高喊口號，手持標語，來自全台20多個環保團體，上午在立法院召開公聽會，要求政府解決中南部空汙問題，因為根據國家衛生研究院最新調查發現，高雄大林蒲地區的空汙最嚴重，空氣中「苯」濃度很高，若長期吸入、恐怕有致癌風險，因此要求政府要調高空汙費的徵收，以遏止中鋼、中油、六輕等汙染排放量。 ==高雄健康空氣行動聯盟理事長 黃義英== 我們希望政府你就調高 調高一點(空汙費) 讓他們改善汙染 如果沒有改善汙染 連續來調高 此外，環保團體也認為政府應該要將空汙費，以固定比例、運用在國人的健康風險評估及流行病學調查，而且報告應公開審查；而企業也應善盡社會責任，不論公民營機構的盈餘，都要固定提撥一定比例、運用在空氣汙染防制。 ==南部反空污大聯盟召集人 陳椒華== 譬如說六輕賺3千億 中油賺1千億 他們的5%(盈餘) 要用在汙染的防制 ==環保署空保處科長 郭孟芸== 我們目前已經著手建置 有害空氣汙染物 健康風險評估工作 所需要的配套工具 對此環保署回應表示，五月底前會完成修正公告，針對秋冬固定汙染源、調升空汙費，最快今年第四季、10月起就可適用，預估將可增加1億7千多萬元，未來也會鼓勵企業空汙減量，增加誘因、改善周邊空氣品質。 記者 賴淑敏 蔣龍祥 台北報導