The Taoyuan City Department of Environmental Protection (TYDEP) and the Northern District Environmental Management Center of the Environmental Management Administration of the Ministry of Environment recently received complaints regarding pollution in the Shezi River of Xingwu District. Environmental inspectors and law enforcement promptly initiated a joint investigation and monitoring operation. With the collaboration of the TYDEP and oversight from the Taiwan Taoyuan District Prosecutor's Office, the Central District Environmental Management Center, and the 1st Squad, 3rd Division of the Seventh Special Police Corps conducted a raid at Yuan XXXX Development Co., Ltd. (Company Y) Following investigation by the district prosecutor's office, Company Y and five other companies were found to have violated Article 46 of the Waste Disposal Act and were indicted on February 21, 2024. Simultaneously, the TYDEP took administrative actions against four local companies in accordance with regulations.
According to the TYDEP, Company Y is involved in stone and gravel processing, as well as sand and gravel washing and screening operations. It was discovered that on September 19, 2023, the company received waste disposal from Company R (classified as a Class B waste disposal entity) to clear an illegally established waste storage site set up by Company J (also classified as a Class B waste disposal entity). The waste contained a mixture of soil and construction waste (designated as D-0599). Furthermore, Company Y lacked the necessary waste clearance and disposal permit for the storage and disposal (burial) of waste, thereby violating the administrative penalty provisions outlined in Article 41 of the Waste Disposal Act. Approximately 13,353 cubic meters of sludge, along with a mixture of soil and construction waste, accumulated on-site. This occurred without securing the necessary permits for water pollution prevention and control, which are issued by the Taoyuan City Government. Additionally, the site lacked fixed pollution source operation permits and business waste clearance plans. These actions are in violation of the administrative penalty provisions stipulated in Article 14, Paragraph 1 of the Water Pollution Control Act, Article 24, Paragraph 1 of the Air Pollution Control Act, and Article 31, Paragraph 1 of the Waste Disposal Act. Company Y's sand washing operation led to the release of high-concentration suspended solid sludge wastewater into the Shezi River, constituting an act of environmental pollution, in clear violation of Article 46, Paragraph 2 of the Waste Disposal Act. Other implicated upstream waste producers, including Zhong Jun, Rui ○ Company, Dong ○ Kai Construction Materials, as well as intermediaries involved in illegal storage and clearance such as Company R and Company J, have all been prosecuted. Legal action will be pursued by their respective competent environmental authorities in accordance with the law.
The TYDEP calls on all businesses involved in waste generation, as well as cleanup and disposal services, to refrain from any further attempts to illegally dump waste in a misguided effort to save on cleanup costs, which harms considerable harm to the environment. Should members of the public witness any instances of illegal dumping, waste burial, river pollution, or any other environmental violations, they are strongly encouraged to report such incidents promptly to the TYDEP for investigation and resolution. Reports can be made via the 24-hour pollution complaint hotline at 0800-066666 or 03-3354943. For environmental crimes, investigations will also be carried out through the "Joint Task Force for Environmental Crimes" alliance in Taoyuan, to eliminate unlawful activities and enforce environmental regulations effectively.