The Yunlin Environmental Protection Bureau unveiled the Yunlin Environmental Monitoring & Emergency Operation Center in 2023. With Taiwan’s first 3D laser spread simulation system, the Yunlin Environmental Monitoring & Emergency Operation Center was recognized with a distinction by the Ministry of Environment at the 2023 National Environmental Protection Performance Evaluation for Municipal and County (City) Governments for its performance in the national toxic chemical substances disaster relief drills and a serious of innovative acts of the county, such as the pioneered unannounced tests.
In addition to full support from Yunlin Magistrate Li-Shan Chang, the Yunlin Environmental Protection Bureau raised a total of NT$36.3 million to build the Yunlin Environmental Monitoring & Emergency Operation Center at the original Sanzheng Forestry Bureau in Mailiao Township of the county over three years. In 2023, phase I of the 3D laser spread simulation system was completed and the Yunlin Environmental Monitoring & Emergency Operation Center started official operations. On 1 August 2023, the Yunlin Environmental Monitoring & Emergency Operation Center joined the national toxic chemical substances disaster relief drill and the Yunlin County disaster relief drill. By combining the 3D laser spread simulation system with the model of the Sixth Naphtha Cracker Complex, the Yunlin Environmental Monitoring & Emergency Operation Center presented the range and scenarios of potential spread of any real toxic chemical substance accidents to provide a reference for decision-makers so as to reduce the scope of impact and losses caused by the disaster.
The 2023 national toxic chemical substances disaster relief drill and the Yunlin County disaster relief drill were the field training of the Office of Disaster Management, Executive Yuan, organized by an agency other than the National Fire Agency for the first time. The Chemicals Administration, Ministry of Environment, also held a toxic chemical substance disaster relief drill at the same time. These immersive drills were implemented half-unannounced, unscripted, and unabridged to keep closer to the real scenarios to effectively improve the county’s capacity in disaster relief and emergency response and the mobilization capacity of all departments. In 2023 the Yunlin Environmental Protection Bureau also pioneered nighttime unannounced tests in Taiwan in premises handling categories 1-3 toxic chemical substances in the county to improve in-house emergency response capacity and skills of premises handling toxic chemical substances in the county.
According to Yunlin Environmental Protection Bureau Director Qiao-Wei Zhang, Yunlin has the highest density of handling toxic chemical substances in Taiwan. According to the statistics of the Chemicals Administration, Ministry of Environment, a total of 8.51 million tonnes of toxic chemical substances was handled in the county in 2022, accounting for 54.11% of the total volume in Taiwan. That is, over one half of toxic chemical substances was handled in Yunlin. As the Sixth Naphtha Cracker Complex handled over 99% of toxic chemical substances in the county, the Yunlin Environmental Protection Bureau thus modified the Sanzheng Forestry Bureau into the Yunlin Environmental Monitoring & Emergency Operation Center. According to the Yunlin Environmental Monitoring & Emergency Operation Center project, the sampling and analysis system and the 3D laser spread simulation system will be built in the first year; the spread simulation database, Sixth Naphtha Cracker Complex SCADA, and data monitoring control system will be built in the second year; and the environmental accident emergency response incident interactive multimedia contents will be designed and the digital environ-control panel and touch equipment will be built in the third year. By building these systems in phases, the project aims to enhance the response capacity of the county. This suggests our determination in the active management of toxic and other chemical substances of concern. The Yunlin Environmental Protection Bureau also expressed its gratitude to the Ministry of Environment for recognizing its performance in the evaluation. In the future the Yunlin Environmental Protection Bureau will continue to strengthen the management of toxic and other substances of concern alongside the central competent authorities.
