EPA TO CONDUCT LAB TEST CHECKING POLLUTANTS FROM TIRE FIRE|燒輪胎引發戴奧辛疑慮 化驗最快四天

Now we'll bring you a follow-up story on the massive fire broke out at Zhongli's tire factory. According to the EPA, pollutants at lower levels of the atmosphere have landed in Zhongli, Pingzhen, Yangmei and some areas in Hsinchu. The EPA said that it will conduct a lab test to check if they are dioxins generated in the fire, even though burning tires will not release dioxins. The result will come out after four to seven days. Mr. Tseng, who lived close to tire manufacturer Federal Corp's Zhongli factory, suffered great losses as a heavy fire broke out at the factory. Windows and roofs were charred by fire, and ashes scattered around the floor, making him unable to live in his house at all. Luckily, he was not at home when the fire broke out, so he did not inhale too many toxic substances. ==MR. TSENG, Zhongli resident== I have nothing to say. All of the blankets and clothes in my house are smeared with a grey color. The fire was put out after 6 hours of burning on Jan.17. The factory was burnt to the ground, sending thick, black smoke into the air. The Environmental Protection Administration said that residents living nearby the scene of the fire should avoid exposure to carbon black, a substance produced by incomplete combustion of heavy petroleum products. Since it may carry carcinogens such as Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Dioxins, those who came into contact with carbon black should make sure to wash it off from skin. ==TSAI HUNG-TE EPA Air Quality Section Deputy Chief== We remind people to wash their hands frequently under this situation. Vegetables grown there should be washed for several times before cooking to wash carbon black particles off. According to the EPA, the concentration of the air pollution particles is not very high. The air pollution is expected to spread into the Taiwan Strait on Jan 19. However, carbon black particles at lower levels of the atmosphere have landed in areas of Taoyuan and Hsinchu. The Taiwan Watch Institute said that livestock farms should be alerted to dioxins because dioxins will accumulate in the food chain. ==HSIEH HO-LIN Taiwan Watch Institute Secretary-General== Livestock farms should employ preventive measures in case there are dioxins carried in the air pollutants. Dioxins are fat soluble, which can be fast consumed by animals. The EPA said that burning tires will not release dioxins because tires do not contain chlorine. However, there are other things in the factory that may generate dioxins in the fire. Therefore, the EPA will conduct a lab test, and the result will come out after four to seven days. TRANSLATED BY：ARIEL HSIEH 家就緊臨泰豐輪胎中壢廠的曾先生，成了這次大火受災戶，家裡氣密窗跟屋頂被燒焦，燒焦物質散落一地，火災發生時他不在家，幸好沒吸入大量有害物質，但他沒想到會損失這麼慘重，家也沒辦法住了。 ==中壢居民 曾先生== 無言以對 就家裡會變成這樣 裡面的棉被跟衣物 都變成灰色的 昨天下午發生火警的泰豐輪胎，延燒六小時後，廠房燒得只剩骨架，當時冒出濃濃黑煙，環保署表示目前最要注意的是燒完產生的碳氫化合物、俗稱碳黑，可能夾帶致癌物質多環芳香烴、跟與戴奧辛，特別提醒民眾跟學童接觸碳黑後，一定要多清洗。 ==環保署空保處副處長 蔡鴻德== 盡量提醒家長 這種情形要多去洗手 有些東西是當地所種出來的蔬菜 最好能夠多洗幾次 會把這個碳黑洗掉 環保署初步監測，火災發生時的風場還算微弱，空汙濃度不高，預計周四下午會帶往台灣海峽，但低層碳黑已經掉落，主要分布在中壢、平鎮、楊梅、還有新竹地區，看守台灣協會表示，萬一產生戴奧辛，最該警戒的是畜牧場，就怕透過食物鏈傳播。 ==看守台灣協會秘書長 謝和霖== 掉在畜牧養殖的地方 可能就要有一些預警的措施 因為戴奧辛是脂溶性的 它透過動物更快的去吸收 由於輪胎並不含氯，環保署表示，火燒輪胎後不會產生戴奧辛，但燒到廠房有其他東西不排除有，初步掌握濃度並不高，因此要多花點時間採樣，結果大約四到七天後出爐。 記者 陳慶鍾 林靜梅 陳立峰 綜合報導