In an attempt to limit unnecessary outings and reduce infection spread, registration and payment of soil and groundwater pollution control fees in 2021s second quarter can be completed by 31 December 2021.

Because of the pandemic, the EPA has allowed enterprises of underground storage tanks to complete relevant monitoring by the end of 2021. The registration due in September 2021 can be postponed and done together with the registration due in January 2022.

               

Originally, online registration (at https://sgwb.moenv.gov.tw/sgwfundo) and payment of pollution control fees for the second quarter (between April and June) in 2021 are required to be completed between 1 and 31 July. Now the EPA has made it easier and less worrying to follow epidemic prevention measures by extending the deadline to 31 October and waiving fees for late registration and payment. Still, payers are reminded to complete registration and payment before the extended deadline to protect their own rights.

Enterprises of underground storage tanks are to commission testing institutes to conduct monitoring regularly and report monitoring records in the previous four months in January, May, and September. However, enterprises are unlikely to complete monitoring before 31 August and make it for registration in September. Depending on the adopted monitoring methods, enterprises that are supposed to conduct monitoring between 1 May and 31 December can complete it by 31 December. For instance, those using soil vapor monitoring have to do it once every four months, meaning once between 1 May and 31 August and once between 1 September and 31 December. With the EPAs new deadline adjustment, monitoring only needs to be conducted once between 1 May and 12 December in 2021. If it is other types of monitoring with the next monitoring required to be done between 1 May and 31 December, enterprises just need to complete it before 12 December and postpone the registration in September to January next year, completing two registrations at once.

Excerpt from Major Environmental Policies, July 2021