To achieve better control and management of soil and groundwater pollution sites’ amelioration, the EPA has reviewed current technical procedures for pollution sites across Taiwan, as well as the handling processes used when other environmental regulations are involved. Relevant operating guidelines, particularly those concerning review and supervision of sites’ amelioration, have been amended to complement relevant operating principles.

To facilitate the amelioration of soil and groundwater pollution sites, align case reviews and verification procedures, and establish guidelines for local competent authorities to implement regular supervision, the Operating Guidelines for Amelioration Review and Supervision of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Sites () have long been in effect for competent authorities of different levels to follow when handling relevant cases.   

The focus of the amendment was to accelerate the plan review procedures and to integrate the review procedures for the control or remediation projects of soil and underground water pollution sites and for permits involving relevant environmental regulations. It was also to align the current off-site soil treatment and management regulations, to encourage pollution sites to combine the amelioration tasks with green energy adoption, and to enhance the inspection of the sites’ implementation of best management practices, so as to provide a basis for the supervision of competent authorities in the future.

In addition, to raise the effectiveness of amelioration tasks and to reduce environmental loads, the amendment added conditions for exempting sites from continual regular monitoring after amelioration tasks are completed. The purpose was to accelerate the delisting of sites and to avoid the delay of amelioration progress or the suspension of amelioration tasks due to circumstances such as lengthy remediation periods and frequent changes to improvement plans, thus achieving the goals of environmental protection and sustainable use of soil resources.       

Excerpt from Major Environmental Policies, October 2022