Mayor Chang San-cheng of Taoyuan City today (Jan 2) presided over the joint unveiling ceremony of the Taoyuan City Government's "Office of Environmental Management, Taoyuan" and "Office of Coast and Resource Circulation Construction" at the Environmental Administration Park. The original subordinate agencies under the Taoyuan Department of Environmental Protection (TYDEP), the Environmental Sanitation Inspection Brigade, and the Office of Coast Administration Construction underwent organizational restructuring in response to the establishment of the central Ministry of Environment. This restructuring aims to enhance the quality of environmental management services. In taking the lead among the six special municipalities of Taiwan, they were officially restructured and renamed as the "Office of Environmental Management, Taoyuan" and the "Office of Coast and Resource Circulation Construction," with the restructuring taking effect on January 1, 2024.
Mayor Chang noted that Taoyuan City's population continues to grow, surpassing 2.31 million people, with an industrial output of approximately NT$3 trillion, making it the leader nationwide. The city also boasts the highest number of industrial zones. To ensure a more livable environment for the city’s citizens, collaboration between the local government, citizens, and central and local authorities is essential. Therefore, in line with the Environmental Ministry, the city underwent organizational restructuring to directly align and seamlessly integrate with the central government, with the aim of enhancing the overall environmental quality of Taoyuan City. This restructuring of the "Office of Environmental Management, Taoyuan" aligns its functions with the central "Environmental Management Administration" while also establishing the "Labor Safety and Health Division." This addition aims to create a healthy, friendly, and high-quality workplace environment for sanitation workers, intending to further improve the city's environmental quality, workplace safety, and employee health and well-being.
After the restructuring, the "Office of Coast and Resource Circulation Construction" primarily aligns its operations with the central "Resource Circulation Administration." It consolidates responsibilities within Taoyuan, including coastal engineering, waste facilities, and resource recycling. The Office aspires to be a comprehensive and professional environmental protection entity, centered on "specialization, resourcefulness, and sustainability." The Office is comprised of units such as "Sustainable Engineering Design Section," "Waste Facility Construction Section," "Coast and Resource Circulation Construction Section," "Resource Reutilization," and "Resource Circulation Processing Section." Moreover, it integrates waste reuse management authorities and strengthens resource recycling in line with the Ministry of Environment's policies.
Additionally, the former Environmental Sustainability Section of the TYDEP has been renamed as the "Climate Change Section, "aligning its functions with the central "Climate Change Administration." The section is dedicated to transforming Taoyuan into a net-zero city. The environmental education responsibilities of the previous Environmental Sustainability Section have been integrated into the "Comprehensive Planning Section," aligning with the "National Environmental Research Academy." Furthermore, the newly established "Chemical Substance Management Section" incorporates the previous tasks of managing toxic chemicals and addressing soil and groundwater pollution, aligning its functions with the central "Chemicals Administration."
Chen Shih-wei, Director-General of the TYDEP, attributed the smooth implementation of this organizational restructuring to the steadfast support from Mayor Chang, Taoyuan City Council Speaker Chiu Yi-sheng, the City Council, and the city administration team. The TYDEP, while continuing its commitment to safeguarding the environment and realizing the "Clean Home, Beautiful Taoyuan" goal, aims to uphold the core spirit of the UN SDGs, which involves comprehensively improving urban aesthetics, strengthening resource cycling management, and creating a "Pearl Coastline" in Taoyuan, aspiring to make the city an even more livable environment.
Today's event was attended by Taoyuan City Councilors Chen Mei-mei, Huang Wan-ju, Yang Chao-wei, Chang Chao-liang, Taiwan Taoyuan District Chief Prosecutor Yu Hsiu-tuan, Environmental Management Administration Director-General Yen Hsu-ming, Deputy Director-General of the Resource Recycling Administration Lin Chien-san, Deputy Director-General of the Chemicals Administration Chen Shu-ling, Director of the Environmental Management Center for the Northern Region of the Environmental Management Administration Chang Nai-ren, Captain of the Taoyuan Search and Seizure Team of the Investigation Branch, Coast Guard Administration, Ocean Affairs Council Lee Chiu-hao, Taoyuan City Department of Labor Director-General Lee Hsien-hsiang, Taoyuan City Department of Environmental Protection Director-General Chen Shi-wei, Taoyuan City Department of Government Ethics Director-General Hsu Chih-yun, Office of Environmental Management, Taoyuan Director Chang Shu-hao, Office of Coast and Resource Circulation Construction Director Lu Ming-chi, Taoyuan District Chief Hsu Min-song, Taoyuan Enterprise Union Chairman Chou Wen-hsien, Sanitation Inspection Brigade Union Chairman Yeh Shih-chi, TYDEP Enterprise Union Director Lai Chi-jen, and Chairman of the Taoyuan Waste Disposal Business Association Cheng Po-jen, among others.