To recognize outstanding achievements in combating environmental crimes and safeguarding the country's environment, the Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Justice publicly commended personnel for their remarkable efforts on October 31st. The 2023 Golden Enforcement Award for combating environmental crimes was presented by Minister of Environment, Fuh-Sheng Shieu. The Taoyuan Department of Environmental Protection (TYDEP) received the "Local Outstanding Group Award for Combating Environmental Crimes," marking the TYDEP's fifth consecutive win in this category and offering significant recognition to frontline staff involved in the crackdown on environmental crimes.
Director-General Shih-Wei Chen stated that the TYDEP collaborated with investigative, prosecutorial, and law enforcement agencies, forming an alliance that has shown outstanding effectiveness in combating environmental crimes. Over the past four years, the TYDEP has been honored with the "Individual Award” category at the Golden Enforcement Awards. This year, based on the achievements of the inspection team's collaborative efforts, the TYDEP applied for the "Local Outstanding Group Award for Combating Environmental Crimes." The judging panel recognized and praised their accomplishments and the award was presented by Minister of Environment, Fuh-Sheng Shieu. Taoyuan, alongside the New Taipei City Environmental Protection Department, was among the only two groups nationwide to receive the Golden Enforcement Award for Groups. This also marks the fifth consecutive year that TYDEP has been recognized with this honor.
According to the TYDEP, the selection criteria for this award primarily include factors such as the number of prosecutions, the amount of confiscated criminal gains, the process of investigation and enforcement, the complexity and innovation of case investigation proceedings, as well as the reduction in environmental impact. The selection committee is composed of experienced chief prosecutors from various local prosecutors' offices with rich experience in combating environmental crimes. The nominees undergo review during the final selection process, which must receive approval from committee members from various sectors before an award is granted.
The TYDEP also highlighted the ever-evolving nature of environmental crimes. Consequently, they stress the need for continuous strengthening and upgrade of existing technological enforcement tools. This includes the integration of the Internet of Things (IoT) inspection platform, established this year within the Environmental Pollution Monitoring Center, functioning as a command center for air quality governance strategies in industrial areas. Furthermore, they have harnessed the power of AI for 24/7 automatic identification of emissions from 27 factory exhaust pipes, ensuring rigorous surveillance standards. Additionally, the TYDEP has pioneered the nation's first AI-based watercolor recognition system for river protection. This system employs robotics and visual automation to monitor river and factory wastewater conditions, overseeing 98 pollution sources. Any anomalies detected may lead to expedited inspections, transforming a passive approach into a proactive one and continuously enhancing the quality of service delivery to the public.
The TYDEP urges the public to report any illegal dumping, river pollution, or other environmental issues immediately to the TYDEP. The public can provide clues and report incidents promptly by calling the 24-hour Pollution Complaint Hotline at 0800-066666 or 03-3354943, which facilitates the TYDEP's prompt intervention, preventing or mitigating instances of pollution. The TYDEP also calls on businesses to fulfill their corporate social responsibilities and enhance their ESG capabilities, refraining from indiscriminately releasing pollution that shifts costs onto citizens and the government