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2023/07/31 Seminar Held on Soil and Water Sustainability and Climate Adaptation
In view of escalating climate change and global warming, which are connected to the quality of soil and groundwater, on 26 April 2023 the EPA held the second Sustainable Soil and Water Resources and Climate Adaptation Partnership Seminar at the National Taiwan University Convention Center. With 16 experts invited, the seminar allowed those working in environmental protection to share and gain knowledge regarding climate adaptation, which in turn has enhanced communication channels and future collaboration across different fields. Over 100 participants signed up for the event, indicating increased attention regarding soil and water issues.
In his speech, EPA Minister Tzi-Chin Chang stated that, since President Tsai Ing-wen’s announcement of the goals to transition toward net-zero emissions by 2050, the EPA has actively completed revisions of regulations and established related systems. Other efforts include promoting carbon reduction and adaptation actions through Taiwan’s Pathway to Net-Zero Emissions in 2050 and the 12 Key Strategies. In terms of soil and water resource management, improvement of contaminated sites is to be accelerated. From the perspective of at-source prevention of soil and water pollution, the focus will further extend to more active post-remediation protection of soil and groundwater, following continuous research on and discussion of impacts of climate change and adaptation measures.
To deliver interdisciplinary keynote speeches and lead discussions at the seminar, the EPA especially invited experts in environmental engineering, agriculture, assessment of climate change-related disasters, soil science, and soil and groundwater pollution remediation. The goals were to better implement current practices in soil and water source remediation, facilitate climate adaptation and achieve the goal of net-zero emissions. A variety of topics were on the agenda, ranging from international trends in climate change issues, to searching for solutions in actual practices. Topics included: climate adaptation; disaster risk management at contaminated sites; remediation and restoration towards net-zero emissions, and; solutions of net-zero emissions in soil carbon sinks. The discussions received enthusiastic responses from participants.
The EPA emphasizes that, by first analyzing the substantive disaster risks posed by climate change to Taiwan's overall environment, integrated management strategies for soil and groundwater pollution sites can be proactively deployed to adapt to climate change. This approach aims to reduce remediation risks and prevent the secondary spread of pollution. Furthermore, as the world moves towards the goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions, the soil and water pollution remediation industry needs to further collaborate with the government to establish carbon inventories, carbon sequestration technologies, and carbon sink management capabilities. Together, they can pave the way for the future transformation of the soil and water pollution remediation industry.
Communication and collaboration through interdisciplinary governance are essential in the process of climate adaptation and net-zero transition. Through the guidance of experts and scholars and exchanges of ideas in discussions, the seminar enabled experts in different fields to develop future soil resource management and remediation techniques. Various stakeholders were able to form a tight-knit partnership, thus opening up a new phase of Taiwan’s environmental governance of soil and water in response to climate change.
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2023/05/16 Announcement of Guidelines for Certification of Soil and Groundwater Remediation Technology
To promote and develop soil and groundwater pollution remediation technologies in Taiwan, enhance technical capabilities and quality and facilitate the cultivation and spreading of Taiwan’s outstanding remediation technologies at home and abroad, the EPA has formulated the Guidelines for the Application, Review and Management of Certificates of Effectiveness for Soil and Groundwater Pollution Remediation Technologies. The guidelines will enable applicants to certify the effectiveness of soil and groundwater pollution remediation technologies. They aim to encourage the adoption, at home and abroad, of researched and verifiable environment-friendly technologies that can effectively reduce the concentration or toxicity of pollutants.
The purpose of the guidelines is to enhance the technical capabilities of soil and groundwater pollution remediation in Taiwan. Referencing ISO 14021, the guidelines adopted the model of self-declaring the effectiveness of technologies for soil and groundwater pollution remediation. The guidelines delineate how evaluation will be done on the functions, characteristics and scope of application of existing soil and groundwater technologies, including methods, equipment, agents and materials. Applicants can self-declare the effectiveness and performance of their technologies during the remediation process. Once the declarations are reviewed and approved by a review team established by the EPA, certificates of effectiveness will be issued. Obtaining official certification will benefit the business of applicants greatly. As the certifications demonstrate the effectiveness of applicants’ remediation technologies and enhance their market advantage, the use of these technologies will also accelerate land restoration.
The contents of the guidelines are as follows:
1. Purpose (Guideline 1)
2. Definitions (Guideline 2)
3. Qualification of applicants and application documents (Guideline 3, 4)
4. Review process (Guideline 5)
5. Confidentiality agreement (Guideline 6)
6. Items written on certificates of effectiveness (Guideline 7)
7. Expiration dates and extension of certificates of effectiveness (Guideline 8)
8. Reissuance and renewal of certificates of effectiveness (Guideline 9)
9. Review for the modifications of technical specifications on certificates of effectiveness (Guideline 10, 11)
10. Requirements when applicants pause or suspend businesses (Guideline 12)
11. Tracking and inspection processes (Guideline 13)
12. Disclosure of information on violation cases (Guideline 14)
13. Revocation and annulment of certificates of effectiveness (Guideline 15, 16)
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2023/05/12 ASEAN Forum on Sustainable Soil and Groundwater Creates Collaboration among Industry
On 6 January 2023, the EPA held the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Forum on Sustainable Soil and Groundwater with talks on Taiwan and ASEAN nations’ environmental policies concerning soil and groundwater as well as experiences of environmental governance in order to generate innovative ideas. Foreign invitees included officials from the Ministry of Environment, Pollution Control and Environmental Degradation in East Java Province, Indonesia, as well as Indonesian and Vietnamese scholars. Attendees from Taiwan included representatives from local environmental authorities, soil and groundwater industries, and academia, as well as foreign and local graduate students studying in Taiwan. Furthermore, the Forum served as an award ceremony, honoring those who have successfully conducted research on sustainable and innovative soil and groundwater remediation.
In his opening speech, the then EPA Deputy Minister Hung-Te Tsai noted that Taiwan’s well-rounded Soil and Groundwater Pollution Remediation Act (土壤及地下水汙染整治法) has allowed itself to collect pollution remediation fund, just like how the Superfund was founded and is operated in the US, in order to effectively carry out remediation and prevention work for soil and groundwater pollutions. With climate and environments similar to those in Southeast Asian countries, Taiwan has under its belt 20 years of experiences in investigations, remediation technologies, and experiences on soil and groundwater pollutions, which can be shared with ASEAN countries. Every year there are continuous efforts to keep up with the latest global trends, exchange experiences, and enhance technological capacities through seminars and forums to interact with experts in relevant fields from the USEPA and Asian-Pacific nations. It not only helps lessen pollutions’ impacts and enhance environmental quality but also lays a solid foundation to expand Taiwan-led bilateral or multilateral collaborations.
The forum mainly discussed soil and groundwater issues in Indonesia and Vietnam. Taiwan’s legislation of the Soil and Groundwater Pollution Remediation Act, management strategies, technological development, and aligning with the world have all helped tremendously in its understanding of the ASEAN partners. And the industries, government, and academia have joined forces to assist Taiwan’s relevant industries to expand their foothold in ASEAN nations. Furthermore, a competition for research on sustainable and innovative soil and groundwater remediation was organized, with ASEAN students studying in Taiwan, to foster ASEAN talents in this field. Among the 22 competing teams, a total of ten passed the preliminary and secondary evaluation, and at the end five of them came out winning and were awarded NT$90,000. The goal to stimulate new ideas via competition so that these students can tackle environmental issues in their home countries with action will eventually lead to sustainable soil and groundwater development.
At the end, the EPA emphasized that, as sustainable soil and groundwater is a global environmental concern, it hopes to establish a partnership of soil and groundwater protection with ASEAN nations to jointly improve the environments and living quality for all people.