Taiwan Steel Industry Association: Hasty Air Pollution Act Amendment Could Disrupt Industrial Operations

(Central News Agency, Taipei, June 12) The Taiwan Steel & Iron Industries Association (TSIIA) issued a statement today expressing concern over the Air Pollution Control Act amendment bill proposed by the Kuomintang and Taiwan People's Party caucuses, which passed a second reading vote in the Legislative Yuan at the end of May. The TSIIA warned that if the amendment is passed hastily, it could lead to confusion in central and local government responsibilities, fragmentation of energy policy, and disorder in power dispatch. This would impact the normal operations of key industries such as steel, petrochemicals, cement, power, and high-tech, and could also affect future corporate investment decisions.

In a press release issued today, the TSIIA pointed out that the draft amendment involves regulations on pollution improvement, fuel management, and permit systems, which have far-reaching implications for industrial operations and national energy policy. The association called on lawmakers from all parties to conduct a careful evaluation.

The TSIIA stated that Article 27 of the draft requires companies to absolutely comply with total pollutant emission and concentration standards. If they fail to meet these standards, they would be unable to propose alternative improvement plans under the current system. The association believes that environmental improvements should balance technical feasibility and practical needs. Completely eliminating buffer and alternative mechanisms could make it difficult for some companies to complete improvements on time, significantly reducing industrial management flexibility.

Regarding Article 28, the draft authorizes local governments to announce bans or restrictions on the use of specific fuels. The TSIIA noted that fuel management involves the nation's overall energy policy and power dispatch. If different counties and cities establish different regulations, it would create a situation of 'one county, one standard,' increasing cross-regional operational costs for businesses and potentially weakening the flexibility of national power dispatch, affecting energy security and power supply stability.

Furthermore, Article 30 of the draft proposes shortening the validity period of fixed pollution source operation permits to between 2 and 5 years. The TSIIA stated that even if companies legally apply for renewal, if the competent authority fails to complete the review in time, they could face permit expiration and the risk of shutdown, increasing investment uncertainty and discouraging companies from investing in long-term environmental equipment upgrades and carbon reduction technology R&D.

The TSIIA expressed support for the legislative direction of lawmakers to improve air quality and protect public health. However, given the current international economic and trade environment and heightened geopolitical risks, the association urged that the promotion of environmental protection bills should involve full communication with the industry. It emphasized the need to balance environmental quality with legal clarity, economic and trade impacts, and national energy security, to avoid hasty legislation that could affect industrial operations and the investment environment, or even increase energy and power supply risks. (Editor: Pan Yijing) 1150612