The project started on 1th January, 2022, and the main works included RATA and supervision audit, OP and supervision audit, CGA, Zero/Span, the efficiency inspections on NO2/NO transformer, regulatory compliance audit, original signal check and comparison of CEMS, explanation session for online and regulations, CEMS evaluation; The test on odor pollutant, particulate matters in discharge pipes, SOx, NOx, heavy metals, Dioxin air quality, regulation explanation session, public and private indoor air quality audit and testing; Maintaining the manual monitoring station’s operating and correcting functions; Maintaining detecting and testing facilities in the Zhongyang Protection Network; Air quality detecting in the Zhongyang industrial area by vehicles ; Indoor air quality inspections and inspections and promote self-management labeling operations, indoor air quality regulations briefing sessions, and indoor air quality inspections and testing in public and private places; The period of data statistic had been started from 1th January, 2022 to 31th December, 2022, and the contents are summarized as follows：
(一)CEMS Regulations Conformity and System Function Check
In Relative Accuracy Test Audit (RATA), on 11 April 2022, in Formosa Chemicals ＆ Fibre Corporation Chia-i Plant, the average oxygen difference of Pipeline P301 was over the confidence coefficient. According to the CEMS Management Regulations Appendix 10, it was required to revise the BAF. We informed the plant to do so. However, on 18 April 2022, the plant did its season two regular test and the report on 10 May 2022 showed the average oxygen difference was below the confidence coefficient. Therefore, the revision of the BAF was not required.
On 14 July 2022, in Nan Ya Plastics Corporation Chia-i Plant, the average oxygen difference of Pipeline P001 was over the confidence coefficient. According to the CEMS Management Regulations Appendix 10, it was required to revise the BAF. We informed the plant to do so. However, the plant has stopped operation since 18 August 2022 and informed the EPB with the official letter to stop the seasonal RATA. Since the plant has stopped operation and thus has no emissions, it doesn’t affect the revision of BAF.
On 30 September 2022, in Chia Hui Power Company, the average emission flow rate difference of Pipeline P002 was over the confidence coefficient. According to the CEMS Management Regulations Appendix 10, it was required to revise the BAF. We informed the plant to do so. The plant replied to the EPB on 19 December the RATA of season four and cancelled the revision of BAF.
In the audit of opacity, in Lu Cao Waste Incinerator of Chia-i County, the results of the high-amplitude optical attenuator audit were apparently high and close to the performance specification standard (≦3 %). We informed the company right after the audit and advised them to adjust their equipment promptly.
In the standard gas test audit, compared to the year 2021, all pipelines in all plants showed significant improvement. However, pipelines P201 of Formosa Chemicals & Fibre Corporation Chia-i Plant and P002 of Chia Hui Power Company showed high figures on the audit of medium and high concentrations of nitrogen oxides. We informed the companies right after the on-site audit to redo the linear adjustment to avoid exceeding performance specification standards.
In the audit of Zero/Span offset, in Formosa Chemicals & Fibre Corporation Sin-gung Plant, the sulphur dioxide span offset test of Pipeline P301 was a low -2.97% which was close to the range of standard error ±3%. The correction of the day and the day before were both positive errors. In Lu Cao Waste Incinerator of Chia-i County, the nitrogen oxides span offset of Pipeline P201 was a high 2.86% and was close to the range of standard error ±3%. After investigation, the correction of the day and a few days before were both high. We informed the plant and the instrument maintenance company of the audit result and suggested they check whether there was a blockage of the pipeline or an offset of the equipment’s linearity and make improvements.
(二)CEMS Connection Data Audit
All the plants except two conform with the management regulations by sending their daily and monthly data whereas the daily data need to be sent by 1 pm the next day and the monthly monitoring reports need to be sent by the 15th of the next month. Two exceptions are as below. Nan Ya Plastics Corporation Chiayi Plant failed to send their daily data for 30 and 31 January 2022 due to suspensions of operation. The computer didn’t restart normally as the power was restored so they had two abnormal submissions. The monitoring data for Pipeline P101 sent to the EPB by Lu Cao Waste Incinerator of Chia-i County from 11 to 20 October were not the items prescribed by the CEMS regulations. Besides, on 7 November and 2 to 3 December, due to a programme test and an abnormal internet connection respectively, the submissions failed. The failures thus amounted to 13 times. (According to CEMS Management Regulations Article 13-1-(2), there will be penalties for over 20 times accumulated in a year.)
(三)Test for Volatile Organic Pollutants and Harmful Air Pollutants
Six tests for volatile organic pollutants and harmful air pollutants were conducted. The four test and sampling items were VOCs, aldehyde and ketone compounds, acid and base gas and heavy metals. Harmful air pollutants test species and methods referred mainly to the announcement of the National Institute of Environmental Analysis.
Tests for VOCs accounted for 87 items. Among them, nine were found. They were methanol (32.2 ppb), acetone(15.1 ppb), toluene (8.4ppb), 2-Butanone (3.3 ppb), propane (2.6 ppb), p-xylene (2.3ppb), methylene chloride (2.1 ppb, acetonitrile (1.2 ppb) and vinyl acetate (1.2 ppb).
Tests for aldehyde and ketone compounds accounted for 16 items. All species were smaller than detection limits or smaller than the first point of the lab calibration curve.
Tests for acid and base gas accounted for ten items and two of them were found: nitric acid (0.0604 mg/m3) and ammonia (0.078 ppm). Results for the other species were smaller than detection limits or smaller than the first point of the lab calibration curve, which showed that in this area, the concentration of acid and base gas was very low.
Test for heavy metals accounted for eight items and seven of them were found. They were lead content (0.037 ug/m3), arsenic content (0.002 ug/m3), nickel content (0.0036 ug/m3), cadmium content (0.00085 ug/m3), mercury particles (62.5 pg/m3), gaseous mercury (2.39 ng/m3) and hexavalent chromium (0.096 ng/m3).
(四)Stationary Air Pollution Source Audit and Test
Audit and test for odour pollutants, emission pipelines (P.S.N), heavy metals, and dioxin in the jurisdiction.
In the audit and test for odour, four companies were inspected. They were Tien-○ Biological Technology Co., Ltd., Shen-○ Resource Recycling Co., Ltd., Su-○ Food Co., Ltd., Chien-○ Co., Ltd Chia-tai Plant. Six inspections were carried out in both Tien-○ Biological Technology Co., Ltd. and Shen-○ Resource Recycling Co.. There was no apparent odour thus no samples were taken. The test result for Su-○ Food Co., Ltd was 412 (emission standard 1,000). And it was 2,320 for Chien-○ Co., Ltd Chia-tai Plant, which was over the emission standard of 1,000.
In the audit and test for emission pipelines (P.S.N), on 22 July 2022, in Sen-○ Wood Co., Ltd, the test of particulate pollutants for Pipeline P001 was 296 mg/Nm3, which was over the emission standard (30 mg/Nm3). Besides, the test of sulfur dioxide was 51 ppm, which was also over the emission standard (50 ppm). On 13 October 2022, in Tsung-○ Plastic Co., Ltd, the test of particulate pollutants for Pipeline P001 was 300 mg/Nm3, which was over the emission standard (30 mg/Nm3). The test of nitrogen oxides was 285 ppm, which was also over the emission standard (100 ppm). The rest of the audit conformed with the emission standards.
In the audit and test for heavy metals and dioxin, 3 times were conducted. The results were all by the standard.
(五)Monitoring and Test in Chun-yang Industrial Park
For the monitoring system in Chun-yang Industrial Park, steel bottles were replaced and cleaned and real-time monitoring from the system was conducted regularly on a monthly basis. Besides, all-day monitoring car inspections for air quality were done in civil centres of Ma-liao Villiage, Taibao City and San-chien village, Sin-gung Township on 28 & 29 March, 30 & 31 May, 20 & 21 September, 21&22 November. Among them, on 20 & 21 September, the maximum 8-hour average for ozone was 66 & 70 ppb for Ma-liao and San-chien villages respectively. They were over the air quality standard. In the meantime, the test by Sin-gung Monitoring Station of the EPA was 76 ppb, which showed a consistent trend. Therefore, it was concluded that this was a general air quality changing trend instead of a partial one. The rest of the monitoring was all by the air quality standard.
(六)Noise Pollution Monitoring
Environmental sound of the general area and road traffic noise monitoring were conducted on a seasonal basis. All the monitoring results conformed with the control standard. The results were uploaded to the Noise Control Information System of the EPA. The monitoring results showed that there tended to be a high value for the environmental sound of the general area whereas the dispersion of road traffic noise monitoring was more concentrated due to less interference of outer factors.
Regarding the audit and test for motor vehicle stationary noise, there were 21 audits by the joint inspection of EPB, the Police Bureau and the Motor Vehicles Office. 664 times vehicles were pulled over and 113 vehicles concerned were tested. 83 passed and 30 failed the tests. 3 vehicles were called in for inspection. The failure rate was 26%. The results for the failed vehicles were 5.9dB higher than the control value on average.
In terms of the audit and test for acceleration noise (acoustic camera, enforcement with technology), it was targeted at the busy areas where highly polluting vehicles came or were reported often by the citizens. 55 enforcement events were held and 28,634 vehicles were tested. There were 175 vehicles judged as over the standard by the system. After excluding 156 vehicles by human, notices were issued to 18 vehicles and 1 failed the test and thus was reported. The most reported roads by the citizens were Section 1~3 of Chien-kuo Road of Ming-siung Township (29 reports) and Chung-chien Road of Da-lin Township (9 reports). Accordingly, this project applied acoustic cameras and the number of reports has significantly decreased. On Chien-kuo Road, reports amounted to 22 and on Chung-chien Road, there was one report. The result revealed the deterrent effect of acoustic cameras.
For the light pollution test, this project made 21 measurements. While 8 conformed with the advised value by the management guidelines for the maximum exposure to light of the EPA, 13 didn’t. For those who failed, we explained the problem of light pollution and advised them to make adjustments and reduce blinking so that the neighbourhood would be less affected.
(七)Indoor Air Quality Management
The inspection of indoor air quality CO2 was conducted. All venues had good indoor air quality except Sin-○ kindergarten where the concentration of carbon dioxide was over 1,000 ppm. We gave suggestions for improvement such as opening the window slightly or installing a fan for better circulation so the concentration of carbon dioxide would decrease.
Now 11 of the announced venues in the jurisdiction obtained excellent self-management labels and 5 got good labels. For venues not announced, after consultation, 4 got excellent and 2 got good labels.
