Penghu County is an outlying island county located in the Taiwan Strait, consisting of the Penghu Archipelago. It faces Yunlin County and Chiayi County on Taiwan's main island across the Penghu Channel. Approximately 60% of the population resides in Magong City, the county's central hub. Penghu County comprises 1 city and 5 townships, surrounded by the sea on all sides. In its early stages, the local economy was predominantly based on fishing, but with a decrease in the significance of fisheries, the county has successfully transitioned to a tourism-driven model.
The annual Fireworks Festival and water activities during the summer attract crowds of tourists. Visitors typically arrive by air or sea, with tourist numbers reaching a peak of 1,286 thousand in 2019. However, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, tourist numbers dropped to 1,143 thousand in 2020 and 618 thousand in 2021. In 2023, there has been a gradual increase, reaching 1,144 thousand by November and 1,244 thousand by November 2023.
Penghu County has an air quality monitoring station in Magong operated by the Environmental Protection Agency, monitoring various air pollutants. The percentage of days with an AQI > 100 decreased from 7.9% in 2019 to 5.5% in 2020 and further to 3.9% in 2023 (as of November, occurring on 13 days, with 3 days in March, 1 day in April, 3 days in May, 3 days in October, and 3 days in November). Eleven of these days were influenced by external factors, and two days were affected by poor horizontal and vertical diffusion conditions, leading to elevated O3_8hr levels in the afternoon due to photochemical reactions.
The historical maximum index pollutant O3_8hr is primarily observed in March to May and September to November. PM2.5 is most prevalent from January to March and October to December, but in the last three years, occurrences have been limited to January and April.
The average PM2.5 concentrations at the Magong Station from 2018 to 2023 (January to November) show a consistent annual decrease in both automatic and manual monitoring stations. The three-year average values for the PM2.5 manual station from 2019 to 2021 were below the air quality standards of 15 µg/m³ for the annual average and 35 µg/m³ for the 24hr_98% high value. As a result, the air quality has improved to a Level 2 control zone.
This plan has conducted thorough checks on monthly/quarterly/semi-annual reports and other data from each project. The on-site inspections and data verification results are consistent with the reported data. Although there were some minor omissions, the missing information was promptly and accurately supplemented. Additionally, progress in the implementation of evaluation tasks was confirmed with each project, and relevant suggestions were provided. Two working meetings and two pollution prevention book review meetings have been held to enhance overall execution efficiency.
The "Emergency Response Measures for Severe Deterioration of Air Quality" have issued a total of 6 warnings as of November 2023. All sub-projects have effectively implemented reporting and investigation procedures, and timely reports have been submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency website.
For indoor air quality, 16 locations catering to non-listed sensitive groups or those requiring guidance in public and private places were inspected and guided this year. Through on-site guidance, these locations gained an understanding of the importance of self-management and maintenance of indoor air quality, promoting the acquisition of self-management certification. As of November 30, 2023, five non-listed sensitive group locations have obtained the "Good Grade" certification. During on-site inspections, it was found that the average outdoor CO2 concentration in the local area is around 400-440 ppm. For inspected locations, the indoor CO2 concentration averages around 400-500 ppm. The elevated CO2 concentration is mainly attributed to improper use of air conditioning leading to the accumulation of indoor air pollutants.
Audits were conducted to assess the implementation of indoor air quality maintenance and management measures for listed locations. Guidance has been provided to 12 listed locations in the county, all of which comply with regulatory standards. One location temporarily delisted due to renovation was reinstated in October 2023 after completing the renovation, and continuous guidance is provided to ensure compliance with periodic testing within the specified timeframe.
The average O3_8hr_93% high value concentration from 2019 to 2021 was 69.6 ppb, slightly higher than the air quality standard of 60 ppb. However, there has been a slight improvement, with the value decreasing to 67.9 ppb from 2019 to November 2023.
The Environmental Protection Agency announced the emission inventory TEDS11.0, comparing various pollution source emissions with the previous version, TEDS10.1. PM10 and PM2.5 had the highest proportion from bare ground (62.6% and 57.8%); SOx and NOx had the highest proportion from the power industry (49.3% and 41%); NMHC had the highest proportion from general consumption (42.1%).
The air pollution control plan for Penghu County (from 2019 to 2022) includes 9 control strategies, with 8 of them quantitatively meeting the targets as of the end of October, and 1 expected to meet the target by the year-end. For the three reduction strategies, PM10, PM2.5, NOx, and NMHC have all met the targets as of the end of October. Additionally, based on guidelines and reduction manuals provided by the Environmental Protection Agency in October 2023, the draft for the "Penghu County Air Pollution Control Plan (from 2024 to 2027)" has been completed and submitted for revision by the Environmental Protection Bureau.
The implementation results of the air quality purification zones involve collaborative efforts with relevant county government departments to promote environmental greening and beautification. This initiative aims to reduce dust emissions from exposed soil erosion, providing each person with a green space. The individual green space per person has increased from 8.85 m²/person in 2009 to 12.75 m²/person as of November 2023. In 2023, seven air quality purification zones were established through adoption by private enterprises and volunteers.
A promotional seminar for the installation of clean air green walls was organized, targeting those interested in setting up such walls. Subsequent on-site guidance, assistance in project proposal writing, and support for application reviews were provided. After on-site guidance, Zhiqing Junior High School received approval for the subsidy application from the Environmental Protection Agency and completed the green wall installation on September 19.
For the 20 schools that were unable to attend the seminar, explanations and matchmaking for subsidy principles, on-site guidance, and assistance in applying for maintenance support were conducted directly.
