The PM2.5 pollution is serious in fall and winter in Taiwan due to atmospheric environment and topography. With the amendment of Air Pollution Control Act, the Environmental Protection Administration authorized local competent authorities to establish air quality maintenance areas for the control of mobile pollution sources. Among all mobile sources, vehicles are a major group of emission. It covers a wide range of types of vehicle that are difficult to keep a track on as they are highly mobile and fast-moving. Previous auditing actions, such as informed inspection and roadside inspections, could only performed a limited number of vehicles and overall collection, evaluation and understanding of information were insufficient for some specific areas, leading to the inability to evaluate the impacts of mobile pollution sources on air quality correctly. The result is the lack of credible data to support the evaluation of air quality maintenance area control.
Tainan City has requested all diesel-fueled vehicles to have a self-control emission management mark for the access to air quality areas by enforcing the self-control system for diesel-fueled vehicles. 12 areas, covering harbors and industrial parks, were established and audits and law enforcement were strengthened in the hope for pollution reduction. The owners of the huge number of motorcycles in the city were notified for regular inspections and audits for the improvement of measures against pollutant emission. The deployment of license plate identification system provides an alternative way of control as it gathers enough data for air quality simulation and the result will help the evaluation of air quality maintenance areas for the control of mobile pollution sources.
The implementation of this plan is able to provide comprehensive information of vehicles travelling in and out of these areas that is valuable for the evaluation of mobile pollution source control thanks to the establishment of license plate identification system and collection of rear-end data in conjunction with data collection and vehicle registration data analysis.
I. Plan schedule
The plan started from Jan 8 2019 to Dec 31 2019.
II. Achievements of implementation
(1) 30 mobile radio transmission systems for license plate identification were established and provided with power banks and backup power. These systems continue to run properly.
(2) The license plate identification system and associated backup system and data processing system were established. 10 computers were installed and are up and running, including 8 in the receiving system to receive identification photos, 1 for data backup and 1 for data processing as the backup for diesel-fueled vehicle license plate identification database and the registration and inspection database, respectively.
(3) The computer program for license plate database screening and license number correction was developed for manual check and confirmation as well as license number correction. It allows for tagging diesel-fueled vehicles that have been inspected or not inspected by comparing the registration data with the inspection database, and now motorcycles are included in the system as well. So far 855,175 of diesel-fueled vehicles and motorcycles have been identified.
(4) Diesel-fueled vehicles were selected for the issuing of inspection notification. The contents of promotional notices and the follow-up process have been approved by the competent authority. 124,438 notices have been printed and issued, including 119,410 for motorcycles and 5,028 for diesel-fueled vehicles.
(5) The proposal for the establishment of license plate identification system was submitted for the establishment and planning of license plate identification in conjunction with regional identification and investigation for the model simulation needs. In addition, the proposal for Shugu demonstrational area for the promotion of air quality control demonstrational areas was raised. The coordination works were finished and a session of promotion presentation organized. Additional efforts were provided for the promotion of control of demonstrational areas in conjunction with another diesel-fueled vehicle project.
(6) The survey of model simulation needs was conducted on Shugu Campus of Southern Taiwan Science Park, Yongkang Industrial Park, Tainan Technology Industrial Park, National Chengkung University, Zhengxing Guohua Commercial District, Anping Tourism District and the surrounding of Tainan Inspection Station. The license plate identification and data collection continued and finished at Yongkang Industrial Park, Guantian Industrial Park and Sinying Industrial Park.
(7) 3 news reports were released, 36,000 promotional brochures distributed and an electronic billboard established for promotion. Promotional information was spread on radio (150 sessions played on air for a month) and cable television (screen scroll on the hours for 2 days).
(8) Assistance was provided for the receiving and review of diesel-fueled vehicle subsidy applications. 643 applications (639 for replacement of old with new and 4 for installation of smoke filters) were reviewed and reimbursement information processed.
III. Suggestions
The following suggestions are provided:
1. Maintenance area control practice: feasible cross-agency or technical controls or any other possible solutions, such as access fee at a large amount, are open for discussion.
2. Substantial benefits from the control of air quality maintenance areas: it is extremely difficult to have all vehicles replaced. To enforce the control, it is necessary to determine how to establish the subjects of control on the current basis as well as when and how to control. A solution that is practically feasible and will not cause too many impacts and is acceptable by all parties involved needs to be reached.
3. Adjustment and configuration of vehicle identification devices: effective distribution of diesel-fueled vehicle identification, use of fixed power source and reduction of maintenance costs need to be considered. For motorcycles, a mobile configuration should be maintained to identify different rider groups for the improvement of control benefits.
