The implementation period for this Plan was from April 26, 2014 to December 31, 2014. The Plan involved the conducting of a survey from the perspective of regulatory system management and pollution source auditing controls to clarify pollution status, and to provide guidance and promotion in relation to pollution reduction efforts, etc., with the aim of achieving effective management of stationary sources of air pollution in Taipei City and realizing the goal of a sustained improvement the air quality in Taipei City. The specific control measures implemented, and the results achieved are outlined below:
1.Survey of Emissions Status
(1)According to Stationary Pollution Source Management Information System data, there were a total of 296 registered public and private premises possessing stationary air pollution sources within the boundaries of in Taipei City, compared to 297 such facilities in 2013. Within this total of 296 facilities, the largest shares are held by gas stations (76 facilities), automobile maintenance industry (37 facilities), and printing plants (36 facilities). The results obtained in the November 2014 survey of actual emissions indicated that the combined total of air pollutant emissions from these 296 facilities was: Annual Total Suspended Particles (TSP) emissions in FY2014 totaled 207.706 tons/year, Annual sulfur oxides (SOx) emissions in FY2014 totaled 171.228 tons/year, Annual nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions in FY2014 totaled 869.619 ton/year, and annual volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions in FY2014 totaled 505.479 tons/year. By comparison with the results obtained the survey in 2013, the actual emissions of TSP had fallen by approximately 1.759 tons/year, SOx emissions had fallen by 36.021 tons/year, NOx emissions had fallen by 103.257 tons/year, and VOCs emissions had fallen by 2.814 tons/year.
(2)Updating of the annual emissions had been conducted for 139 stationary sources of air pollution, representing an emissions updating ratio of 75.6% (calculated as the updated emissions of 1,325.507 tons, obtained through the period April – November, 2014, divided by the total actual emissions of 1,754.032 tons obtained in the survey on November 2014).
2.Regulatory System Management
(1)Over the period April – September, 2014, a total of 34 permit applications were processed. The average processing time was approximately 12 days, and in conformity with both the legally mandated processing period (30 – 45 days) and target of completing application review within 30 days.
(2)A set of stationary sources of air pollution establishment and operation permit review guidelines was drawn up, to serve as a reference for public and private facilities in Taipei City that are registered, and for personnel engaged in carrying out permit application review. In accordance with the requirements of the 2014 Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) appraisal rules, these guidelines were submitted to the EPA for evaluation on April 30, 2014.
(3)Continuous emission monitoring system (CEMS) system and performance auditing operations were performed on 2 occasions in 2014 (targeting the MuZha and BeiTou Refuse Incinerator Plant). On each occasion, two experts were invited to assistant with the auditing work. In addition, 1-load Relative Accuracy Test Audit (RATA) testing was conducted at the MuZha Refuse Incinerator Plant; the results were in conformity with regulations, although the Bias Adjustment Factor (BAF) correction was required for HCl.
(4)Guidance was provided to encourage facility operators to submit air pollution control fee declarations on time, and to use online reporting. As a result, during the first three quarters of 2014, all declarations and online reporting were submitted on time. The total amount of air pollution control fee paid in the first and second quarters of 2014 was NT1,882,802; after review, the actual amount due was found to be NT1,883,167.
(5)Fume leakage testing and vapor/gasoline ratio testing was carried out at 20 gas stations. All of the gas stations passed leakage testing, and there was a 93.1% conformity rating in the vapor/gasoline ratio testing results (with 717 out of 770 fuel dispensers conforming to requirements); these results fell within the acceptable limits specified by law. With regard to those gas stations that were found in the 2014 testing to have a low vapor/gasoline ratio conformity level (i.e.<80%), a formal notice was served to asked them to implement more frequent vapor/gasoline ratio testing (on a quarterly basis rather than a twice-yearly basis), and the facility owners and agencies concerned were asked to attend a Seminar on the Increased Frequency of Filling Station Vapor/Gasoline Ratio Testing, which held on September 1, 2014. It was anticipated that the related operations would be completed by December 2014.
(6)A total of four meetings were held in 2014, including Presentation on the Permit Application Review Guidelines, Common Problems, and Key Points to Note; Seminar on the Increased Frequency of Gas Station Vapor/Gasoline Ratio Testing; Presentation on the Fugitive Particulate Matter Control Regulations and the Greenification and Beautification of Perimeter Walls; and Presentation on the Adoption of Online Payment and Subrogated Payment of Air Pollution control Fees and the Simplification of the VOCs Air Pollution control Fee Declaration Reporting Forms.
3.Pollution Source Auditing and Controls
(1)Sulfur content sampling was performed on 30 oil products (including 25 oil products for use in boilers, and 5 for use in machinery), along with 9 audit inspections (covering 5 stationary pollution sources and 4 heavy metals). All of the test results showed conformity with regulations.
(2)Over the period April – October 2014, a total of 182 audits were implemented to verify that stationary sources of air pollution were operating in conformity with regulations. These included 61 instances of permit checks, 101 instances of air pollution control fee auditing, and 20 audits to verify compliance with regulations by gas stations. 21 of the audited facilities were found to be non-conforming, giving a conformity rate of 88.5% (161 facilities out of 182). All of the non-conforming facilities have remedied the situation.
(3)According to the sampling months, analysis methods and air quality monitoring station (Songshan Monitoring Station)and which specified by the EPA, air quality monitoring was implemented targeting dioxins and heavy metals; the sampling operations have been completed February, May, August and November in the case of dioxins, May and November in the case of heavy metals.
4.Guidance for Pollutant Emission Reduction
(1)Ongoing promotion to use the low-polluting fuels has been implemented. In 2014, 6 oil-burning boilers were replaced with 7 new natural gas fueled boilers. Taipei City currently has a total of 101 natural gas fueled boilers installed, representing an increase of 82 boilers compared to 2006. In 2014, boilers powered by low-polluting fuels accounted for 67% of all boilers installed in Taipei City.
(2)The total amount of nitrogen oxide emissions from refuse incinerator plants over the period January – September 2014 was down approximately 15.1% year-on-year compared to the same period in 2013 (representing a decrease of 101.68 tons of emissions). As regards waste disposal, the total amount of waste processed by three refuse incinerator plants in Taipei City over the period January – September 2014 was approximately 8.8% lower than in the same period in 2013 (representing a decrease of 53,827 tons). With regard to nitrous oxide emissions per unit of waste processed (represented by the “En” Emission Factor), the En for the period January – September 2014 was 1.021, decrease 7% from the 1.098 for the same period in 2013.
(3)An ongoing effort has been made to promote corporate of sections of road to perform street-sweeping and sprinkling. Over the period April – November 2014, the cumulative total length of road cleaned in this way came to 6,379km.
To help all facility operators located within the boundaries of Taipei City to carry out their operations in accordance with the requirements of the law and with the management measures outlined above, regulatory management and pollutant emission reduction guidance has been carried out with respect to pollution sources in Taipei City. The air pollutants emission reduction results achieved in 2014 (including both permanent and temporary reductions) can be summarized as follows: Emissions of Total Suspended Particulates (TSP) were reduced by 65.209 tons; emissions of Sulfur Oxides (SOx) were reduced by 11.488 tons; emissions of Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) were reduced by 12.122 tons; emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) were reduced by 26.592 tons.
