The Ministry of Environment projects national waste battery recycling will hit 12,000 metric tons by 2031. In response, Taoyuan amended its Fire Prevention Self-Government Ordinance to proactively prevent fire risks from rising lithium battery use. The city designated “sites for stockpiling, recycling, reusing, and processing flammable substances” as the second batch of regulated high-risk premises. This extends mandatory oversight to waste battery recyclers, enforcing partitioned storage and electrical discharge to strengthen municipal fire prevention.
Lin Li-Chang, Director of the Office of Coast and Resource Circulation Construction (OCRCC), pointed out that Taoyuan is the first in Taiwan to implement mandatory oversight for high-risk premises. Spearheaded by Deputy Mayor Su Chun-Pin, an interdepartmental task force held regular meetings to systematically audit potential hazards. The team strictly capped combustible stockpiles at recycling facilities, reducing fire loads at the source. According to the latest statistics, factory and warehouse fires in Taoyuan dropped from 37 incidents during January–June 2024 to 23 in the same period of 2026—a 37.8% decrease, hitting a 10-year low and demonstrating the results of regulation and cross-agency governance.
Lin emphasized that since the amended Taoyuan Fire Prevention Self-Government Ordinance took effect on December 9, 2025, 84 operators have submitted disaster prevention data. As of the end of June 2026, authorities conducted 176 inspections across 221 regulated facilities. Operators are required to designate dedicated lithium battery storage areas and are strictly prohibited from co-locating batteries with general recyclables, paper, plastics, or other combustible materials to minimize short-circuit, ignition, and fire-spread risks.
OCRCC urged operators to strictly follow the ordinance. For example, lithium batteries should be submerged in dedicated discharging water tanks to reduce residual charge and prevent short circuits. In addition, facilities must also install surveillance monitors, fire hydrants, water retention basins, and fire extinguishing equipment, while implementing standard operating procedures and patrol routines subject to at least two routine inspections annually. Operators that fail to submit disaster prevention plans, or who evade or obstruct inspections without rectifying violations within a specified deadline, will face fines between NT$50,000 and NT$100,000 per violation under the Ordinance. If operators fail to comply twice within a year, their unauthorized structures will be prioritized for demolition.
Looking ahead, OCRCC will continually update its inspection mechanisms and work with operators to strengthen their safety management, stopping emerging fire hazards at the source.