TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Pingtung County Environmental Protection Bureau (屏東縣環保局) announced an intensified crackdown on illegal open burning Tuesday (Dec. 23) to safeguard air quality across the region. The bureau will deploy drones alongside rotating personnel to detect illegal burning activities. Officials aim to make it increasingly difficult for violators to conceal burning operations.
The bureau uncovered 500 cases of illegal open burning this year, each penalized under the Air Pollution Control Act with fines ranging from NT$1,200 (around US$38) to NT$100,000 (around US$3,175). The bureau installed two AI smoke detection systems at strategic high points to combat violations. Officials also increased inspections during holidays, nighttime, and at citizen-reported hotspots.
The bureau offers agricultural waste disposal solutions to reduce illegal burning across Pingtung County. Residents can deliver small amounts of waste to cleaning teams, while larger volumes can be stored at nine designated agricultural waste centers. The bureau provides on-site shredding subsidies to help incorporate shredded agricultural wood waste into soil, promoting farmland health and increasing fertility.
Officials urge residents to report illegal open burning by calling the 24-hour pollution reporting hotline or submitting evidence online through the bureau's website. The measures aim to assist in the crackdown on unlawful activities across Pingtung County. The bureau remains committed to reducing open burning incidents to improve the region's air quality and environmental health. ◼ (At time of reporting, US$1 equals approximately NT$31.5)
