After receiving a citizen report of the alleged illegal discharge of unknown wastewater from a chemical engineering plant in Yunlin Industrial Park on the evening of June 12th, the Water Quality Protection Division of the Yunlin Environmental Protection Bureau immediately retrieved the layout drawings of the wastewater treatment facility and floor plan of the plant and mobilized inspectors to conduct an on-site inspection. The inspection verified that the plant had illegally installed unknown pumps and up to 50m of hoses to discharge fluorine-containing wastewater from the manufacturing process to the open space next to the plant via the hose so as to save wastewater treatment fees, which was an act of willful streamlining discharge.
After receiving the report, inspectors of the Water Quality Protection Division immediately headed straight for the chemical engineering plant to conduct an onsite investigation. In the investigation inspectors found unknown pumps and up to 50m of hoses, unapproved for installation by the authority, on the scene. When searching for the outlet (end) of such hoses with the accompaniment of the plant representative, inspectors found that a large volume of unknown wastewater had been discharged via the hose to the open space near to the plant. After comparing and contrasting with the layout of the facilities approved for installation of the plant, inspectors found that those pumps withdrew water from the fluorine-containing wastewater tank of the manufacturing process. They immediately sampled the water and wastewater from the manufacturing process, the residual wastewater in the hose, and the water deposited in the open space. Based on the information registered in the permit and the properties of the process wastewater, inspectors selected items including chemical oxygen demand (COD), villiaumite, and heavy metals for the water quality examination. Additionally, inspectors collected evidence regarding the traces of illegal wastewater discharge of the plant for the reference of subsequent legal actions and sanctions.
Apart from pressing charges and sanctioning the plant in accordance with Article 18-1 of the Water Pollution Control Act, “Enterprises or sewage systems that discharge wastewater or sewage shall follow an approved collection, disposal unit, and flow process, drain from an approved and registered discharge point or from a discharge point authorized by the sewage management agency into a sewage system, and not reroute discharge.”, the Yunlin Environmental Protection Bureau further ordered the plant to immediately remove the related unknown pumps and hoses. In the future, the Yunlin Environmental Protection Bureau will compel the plant to install an automatic continuous water quality monitoring system to implement 24x7 water quality monitoring. The maximum fine for this case will be NT$20 million. The plant will also be forced to shut down based on the severity of the offence.
According to Yunlin Environmental Protection Bureau Director Qiao-Wei Zhang, as the illegal diversion of wastewater discharge of law-breaking businesses is a disregard of public health, the Yunlin Environmental Protection Bureau will never spare retribution for businesses in violation. Apart from maintaining the quality of water in the rivers near their homes, Director Zhang also urged all county citizens to call the toll-free number of Yunlin Environmental Protection Bureau at 0800-556-003 to report water that is abnormal colors, or contaminated water, or businesses discharging wastewater illegally upon detection. After receiving such reports, the Yunlin Environmental Protection Bureau will send inspectors to investigate as quickly as possible to stop any act of environmental contamination.
