[Environment] Figures Show Incidences of Acid Rain Decreased to 53% in Past Decade: EPA

[Environment] Figures Show Incidences of Acid Rain Decreased to 53% in Past Decade: EPA (Chinese Version)

Taipei Times (2011/07/27) The acid rain situation nationwide has improved markedly in the past decade, dropping to an incidence rate of about 53 percent during that period, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said on July 26 as it announced the results of a 20-year monitoring project. The EPA said that while acid rain was a rare occurrence in the 1970s, it gradually became more serious in the 1980s, especially in northern parts of the country, as well as near Tainan and Kaohsiung. Acid rain monitoring efforts began in 1990, using pH levels below 5 as a benchmark for acid rain, it said.

Yein-Rui HSIEH, director-general of the Department of Air Quality Protection and Noise Control, said there are 12 acid rain monitoring stations scattered across the country, adding that data collected from 1999 through this year showed an average acidity level of pH 5.02. Instances of acid rain remain more common in the north than in the south, it added.

Chi-Ming PENG, co-organizer of the research project and an assistant professor in atmospheric sciences at National Central University (NCU), said acid rain tended to occur more in the spring and fall when the northeast monsoon brings air that is laden with particulates. The area surrounding Jhongli (中壢), Taoyuan County, has the worst acid rain problem in the nation, with an incidence rate of 75 percent.

The two principal causes of acid rain in Taiwan are polluted air from abroad — mainly China — and local pollution, said Neng-huei LIN, co-organizer of the project and Professor of Atmospheric Sciences at NCU, adding that the two were equally responsible.

HSIEH said the EPA would continue to enforce regulations to control air pollution, as well as communicate with China on the technical aspects of controlling the problem.


Further Information:
Taipei Times 2011/07/27
EPA Environmental Protection News 2011/07/26 (Chinese)

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