Nantou County Government Promises to Add Models After Incinerator Air Pollution Simulation Questioned
The Nantou County Government held a second-stage environmental impact assessment scoping meeting for its waste treatment center, where environmental groups questioned the air pollution dispersion simulation for the incinerator. The Environmental Protection Bureau stated that it uses a legally executable model from the Ministry of Environment but promised to conduct additional simulations.
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- 📰 Published: May 13, 2026 at 13:58
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Nantou, May 13 (CNA) The Nantou County Government today held a second-stage environmental impact assessment scoping meeting for its waste treatment center. Environmental groups believe there are problems with the air pollution dispersion simulation for the incinerator project; the Environmental Protection Bureau said it uses a legally executable model from the Ministry of Environment, and also promised to conduct other simulations.
Nantou County does not have a waste incinerator and must rely on other counties and cities for assistance in treatment. The entire county has accumulated about 310,000 metric tons of waste. The county government plans to build the Nantou County Waste Treatment and Renewable Energy Center in Xinmin Village, Mingjian Township. In March last year, the Ministry of Finance's National Property Administration allocated 7.5 hectares of "specific agricultural zone" state-owned land to the Nantou County Government for a fee. The county government subsequently needs to apply to the Ministry of Agriculture for agricultural land conversion.
The county government had previously held four second-stage environmental impact assessment scoping meetings. Yesterday and today, continuation meetings were held, attended by groups such as the Mingjian Township Anti-Incinerator Self-Help Association, residents, and people from outside the area. During the meeting, some people stood on and crossed the tables separating the attending committee members and the public. The police briefly intervened to prevent the conflict from escalating, and everyone shouted, "We want to discuss alternative solutions."
Chen Chiao-hua, convener of the Policy Oversight Alliance, stated that she had previously questioned the use of the AERMOD model for the Mingjian Township incinerator case, arguing that the selection of the 3069-meter "terrain false mountain" and the use of data from the Tianzhong weather station were unreasonable, making it impossible to provide accurate pollution landing points for incinerator pollutant simulations. She asked the Ministry of Environment to review the accuracy, otherwise, the Nantou County Environmental Protection Bureau should not use the AERMOD model for simulation.
Hsieh Ho-lin, Secretary-General of the Taiwan Watch Institute, pointed out that the Nantou County incinerator BOT project made wrong site selection, wrong treatment technology selection, excessive scale design, a flawed environmental assessment process, illegal application for national land allocation, and even problems with the air pollution dispersion simulation model selection, showing that the county government disregards the rule of law and lacks professionalism. Can such a quality truly supervise future operations without causing environmental pollution hazards?
Mingjian Township Mayor Chen Han-li stated that deploying a large number of police officers was to prevent Mingjian Township residents from participating and to prevent outsiders from knowing how the county government bullies Mingjian people. The county government's intensive meetings have fatigued the township residents. He hopes the central government will intervene to resolve this administrative violence. The price of tea leaves in "winter tail" used to be about NT$32 to NT$35 per catty, but at the beginning of this year, the price dropped from NT$28 to NT$23. Consumers will ask, "I heard an incinerator is going to be built here," indicating that Mingjian Township's tea industry has been affected.
Li Yi-shu, Director of the Nantou County Environmental Protection Bureau, stated that the Gaussian plume model (AERMOD model) is used for simulation according to the Ministry of Environment's regulations. However, the groups attending the meeting proposed applying other models for simulation, so it was promised yesterday to add grid-type and trajectory-type model simulations. The AERMOD model is a legally announced executable model by the Ministry of Environment. "Environmental groups themselves consider it unreasonable," but in fact, AERMOD is a legally executable model by the Ministry of Environment. (Editor: Chang Ya-ching) 1150513
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Nantou County does not have a waste incinerator and must rely on other counties and cities for assistance in treatment. The entire county has accumulated about 310,000 metric tons of waste. The county government plans to build the Nantou County Waste Treatment and Renewable Energy Center in Xinmin Village, Mingjian Township. In March last year, the Ministry of Finance's National Property Administration allocated 7.5 hectares of "specific agricultural zone" state-owned land to the Nantou County Government for a fee. The county government subsequently needs to apply to the Ministry of Agriculture for agricultural land conversion.
The county government had previously held four second-stage environmental impact assessment scoping meetings. Yesterday and today, continuation meetings were held, attended by groups such as the Mingjian Township Anti-Incinerator Self-Help Association, residents, and people from outside the area. During the meeting, some people stood on and crossed the tables separating the attending committee members and the public. The police briefly intervened to prevent the conflict from escalating, and everyone shouted, "We want to discuss alternative solutions."
Chen Chiao-hua, convener of the Policy Oversight Alliance, stated that she had previously questioned the use of the AERMOD model for the Mingjian Township incinerator case, arguing that the selection of the 3069-meter "terrain false mountain" and the use of data from the Tianzhong weather station were unreasonable, making it impossible to provide accurate pollution landing points for incinerator pollutant simulations. She asked the Ministry of Environment to review the accuracy, otherwise, the Nantou County Environmental Protection Bureau should not use the AERMOD model for simulation.
Hsieh Ho-lin, Secretary-General of the Taiwan Watch Institute, pointed out that the Nantou County incinerator BOT project made wrong site selection, wrong treatment technology selection, excessive scale design, a flawed environmental assessment process, illegal application for national land allocation, and even problems with the air pollution dispersion simulation model selection, showing that the county government disregards the rule of law and lacks professionalism. Can such a quality truly supervise future operations without causing environmental pollution hazards?
Mingjian Township Mayor Chen Han-li stated that deploying a large number of police officers was to prevent Mingjian Township residents from participating and to prevent outsiders from knowing how the county government bullies Mingjian people. The county government's intensive meetings have fatigued the township residents. He hopes the central government will intervene to resolve this administrative violence. The price of tea leaves in "winter tail" used to be about NT$32 to NT$35 per catty, but at the beginning of this year, the price dropped from NT$28 to NT$23. Consumers will ask, "I heard an incinerator is going to be built here," indicating that Mingjian Township's tea industry has been affected.
Li Yi-shu, Director of the Nantou County Environmental Protection Bureau, stated that the Gaussian plume model (AERMOD model) is used for simulation according to the Ministry of Environment's regulations. However, the groups attending the meeting proposed applying other models for simulation, so it was promised yesterday to add grid-type and trajectory-type model simulations. The AERMOD model is a legally announced executable model by the Ministry of Environment. "Environmental groups themselves consider it unreasonable," but in fact, AERMOD is a legally executable model by the Ministry of Environment. (Editor: Chang Ya-ching) 1150513
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
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The text, images, and audio/video on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.