CPC: Actively Promoting Pollution Prevention and Low-Carbon Transition, Balancing Environmental Protection and Industrial Development

(Central News Agency reporter Chao Min-Ya, Taipei, 3rd) CPC Corporation, Taiwan, stated today that it continues to cooperate with the Ministry of Environment's policies to promote pollution prevention and low-carbon transition. Greenhouse gas emissions have decreased from 11.58 million metric tons in 2005 to 7.07 million metric tons in 2025, demonstrating overall pollution improvement. Related policies and regulatory designs should balance environmental protection, public needs, stable industrial operations, and national supply chain security. CPC issued a press release stating that regarding media reports on environmental groups' concerns about ozone red alerts and the draft amendment to the "Air Pollution Control Act," CPC respects the public's expectations for air quality improvement and continues to cooperate with the Ministry of Environment's policies to promote pollution prevention and low-carbon transition. CPC pointed out that greenhouse gas emissions decreased from 11.58 million metric tons in 2005 to 7.07 million metric tons in 2025, a reduction of 39%; VOCs decreased from 3384.6 metric tons in 2012 to 1276 metric tons in 2024, a reduction of 63%, demonstrating overall pollution improvement. CPC emphasized that related policies and regulatory designs should balance environmental protection, public needs, stable industrial operations, and national supply chain security to maintain overall economic development momentum. CPC explained that ozone mainly comes from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides, produced through photochemical reactions. In recent years, CPC has continuously promoted source reduction and process improvement, including introducing low-VOC water-based paints, improving equipment sealing, and strengthening leak detection and repair mechanisms. Among these, its self-developed environmental paint TVOC (with an emission rate already below 0.19 mg/m²·hr) balances low odor and reduced emissions, while simultaneously enhancing anti-corrosion and thermal insulation performance, demonstrating achievements in both pollution reduction and product efficacy. Regarding the draft amendment to the "Air Pollution Control Act," which involves adjustments to permit validity periods, the inability to operate if permit review is not completed within two months, and the expansion of local discretion, CPC reiterated that the relevant provisions lack clear supporting measures, which will affect the stability of industrial operations. It suggests that amendments should be drafted based on clear and predictable premises, and widely solicit opinions from all sectors, including industry. CPC pointed out that the petrochemical industry is an important basic industry supporting semiconductors, electronic materials, and daily necessities. Although there is a trend of adjusting global petrochemical production capacity, there is still an urgent demand for key raw materials such as ethylene in Taiwan. Promoting the upgrading of related industries and optimizing production capacity will help reduce reliance on imports and geopolitical risks, ensuring the security of the domestic industrial supply chain and economic resilience. CPC stated that its new Fourth Naphtha Cracker renovation project will improve energy efficiency while reducing pollution emission intensity through replacement of old equipment and introduction of high-efficiency new processes, which is an important part of industrial transformation. Related plans will also incorporate carbon management and total quantity control mechanisms, and environmental impact assessments will be conducted according to regulations to ensure both environmental protection and economic development. CPC emphasized that in the future, it will continue to grasp air quality improvement trends and international industrial development dynamics, cooperate with competent authorities to strengthen pollution prevention, promote carbon reduction measures and information disclosure, and maintain communication with all sectors of society, striving to reduce the impact of ozone and volatile organic compounds on the environment, fulfill corporate social responsibility, and promote the sustainable development of related industries. (Edited by Lin Hsing-Meng) 1150503