Over the years, the EPA has launched several air pollution control measures. Air quality monitoring results show that not only has air quality greatly improved, but it has begun to stabilize in recent years. Since the Clean Air Action Plans began in 2015, air pollution controls have been extended by way of an inter-ministerial mechanism that integrates functions and engages each level of government with local Air Pollution Control Plans and a focus on reducing PM2.5 emissions. Understanding the close link between human health and air quality, the public has made increasing demands for higher quality air over the years. The action plans are fortified with eight additional measures: promoting electric bikes (E-bikes), promoting electric buses (E-buses), promoting electric produce trailers, fitting diesel cars with soot filters, installing natural gas boilers in hotels, installing riverbed fugitive dust prevention mechanisms, promoting cooperation with mainland China in improving air quality, and conducting research on fine particulate matter (PM2.5) control. The government is slated to invest over NT$39 billion throughout the course of the action plans from 2015 to 2020, during which local governments are tasked to carry out more than 300 air quality protection and improvement plans. Specific goals include: eliminating one million two-stroke motorcycles, promoting the purchase of 600,000 new electric motorbikes, replacing 2,858 diesel buses with electric ones, introducing 2,100 electric trailers to wholesale produce markets, installing soot filters on 38,000 diesel vehicles, requiring 100 hotels to install natural gas boilers, and installing fugitive dust control facilities along 3,000 hectares of riverbeds. It is expected that these measures combined will decrease annual particulate matters (PM10) emissions by 33,000 tonnes (22%), annual PM2.5 emissions by 17,000 tonnes (24%), annual SOX emissions by 33,000 tonnes (28%), annual NOX emissions by 174,000 tonnes (40%), and will lower national annual average PM2.5 emissions by 23.4%. Providing Guidance to Local Governments to Implement Air Pollution Control Plans To ensure that local governments carry through with the air pollution control plans, the EPA has organized the Air Pollution Control Technology Advisory Taskforce, which visited each city and county to provide guidance and evaluate the status of implementation in 2015. The Air Pollution Control Technology Advisory Taskforce is made up of 15 experts in the fields of air quality planning and management, stationary source pollution control, mobile source pollution control, and the establishment and protection of air quality purification zones. Apart from conducting reviews on the implementation reports of each county and city, the taskforce made onsite audits at six special municipalities in 2015. The EPA explains that each local government has announced its own Air Pollution Control Plan, all of which fit under the umbrella of the central government’s Clean Air Action Plan. The Air Quality Protection and Improvement Plans are executed each year with a budget of NT$3.5 billion. A pragmatic approach is adopted to provide guidance to local governments in implementing pollution inspections and controls. The EPA is confident it will achieve the air quality improvement goals. Focus on Reducing PM2.5 Reinforcing the control of PM2.5 is a vital component of the Clean Air Action Plans, since the national PM2.5 average still falls short of the set standards. The plan will execute the following measures: I. Evaluate the implementation of the Clean Air Action Plans. II. Provide guidance to counties and cities to implement the controls that have been announced for years 2015 to 2020 in the Air Pollution Control Plans. III. Reevaluate controls for factory pollution emission permits, relax restrictions on the use of clean fuels, and reevaluate the quarterly emission permits and the regulations on required responses to substandard air quality. IV. Control measures according to Article 6 Paragraph 3 of the Air Pollution Control Act: 1. Once a city or county is classified as a grade III PM2.5 control zone, new or altered stationary pollution sources that emit pollutants such as particulate matters, SOX, NOX and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) above certain levels in the city or county’s jurisdiction must adopt the best available control technology. 2. On 26 May 2015, the Best Available Control Technology for Stationary Pollution Sources was revised, requiring newly established stationary pollution sources in the grade III PM2.5 control zone to adopt better control measures. 3. On 11 August 2015, the Regulations Governing Air Quality Models and Simulations were revised to include PM2.5 on the list of items to undergo model simulation as well as to lower the thresholds of other pollutants required to be included in simulations. 4. On 30 December 2015, the Newly Established or Altered Stationary Pollution Source Air Pollutant Emission Guidelines were revised to state that new stationary pollution source emission limits have been greatly tightened from 15 tonnes to 10 tonnes for particulate pollutants, and from 60 tonnes to 10 tonnes for SOX. V. The EPA is considering making cities/counties the unit for the air pollution cap scheme, which will require existing pollution sources to sharply reduce emissions, and newly established or altered stationary pollution sources to obtain enough offsets for increased emissions so as to have their applications approved. Room for Improvement Preliminary air quality monitoring results of 2015 were released in January 2016. They showed that the nation’s air quality has improved significantly over the past eight years. PM2.5, one of the pollutants that many citizens are concerned about, has improved by 20% while PM10, SO2, NO2 and O3 have all seen improvements ranging from 11% to 29%. The results attest to the effectiveness of the air quality improvement measures. Although Taiwan’s air quality has been on a steady path of improvement, the EPA realizes that the public holds expectations for even better air quality. Based on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) recently announced Better Life Index, Taiwan still has room for improvement in terms of air quality compared to other nations on the OECD list of developed nations. The stated goals of the Clean Air Action Plans are to reinforce the integration of ministerial powers, strengthen cooperation between central and local governments and promote all-citizen participation. Methods focus on practical results in the short term and tightened controls in the long term to ensure reduction of air pollution emissions. Meanwhile, to achieve air quality improvement objectives, the plan promotes cross-strait exchanges to address the long-range transport of air pollutants (LRTAP) that affect Taiwan’s air quality.