Yunlin County Government News Reference 115.2.9
The Yunlin County Environmental Protection Bureau held an "Air Pollution Control Achievements and Expert Consultation Meeting" from February 9th to 10th. County Magistrate Chang Li-shan and Deputy County Magistrate Chen Bi-jun attended the meeting today (9th) to extend their greetings. They gathered with domestic environmental experts, scholars, and industry representatives to review Yunlin County's achievements in air pollution control in recent years. The meeting also put forward suggestions on future strategies, showcasing many achievements in air quality improvement, energy transformation, smart technology application, and inter-departmental cooperation. This symbolizes that Yunlin County has taken an important step in protecting public health and promoting sustainable development.
In recent years, Yunlin County has achieved remarkable results in improving air quality. The proportion of days with good air quality (AQI ≤ 100) reached over 90% in 2025, an increase of 17% compared to 2019. The number of days under ozone red alerts decreased from 16 in 2019 to just 1 in 2025. Regarding energy structure transformation, the coal-fired units and oil-fired boilers of Mailiao Power Plant and Fu Mao Corporation have been completely decommissioned. Oil-fired boilers in the four major industrial parks have been converted to gas, reducing coal consumption by nearly 4.97 million tons. Sulfur dioxide concentration has improved by 52%, and greenhouse gas emissions have been reduced by 10.08 million tons of CO₂e, equivalent to the annual carbon absorption of 26,000 Daan Forest Parks. These achievements represent an important step forward in Yunlin County's energy transition, allowing residents to enjoy a cleaner living environment.
In promoting air pollution control, not only are factories required to comply with regulations, but active guidance is also provided for industrial upgrading. Since 2024, the use of low-volatile organic compound (VOC) coatings has been promoted, reaching 98% by 2025, with a reduction of 18% in harmful gas emissions. Simultaneously, through equipment upgrades and process optimization, leaks and pollution during production are reduced, resulting in a reduction of 254 metric tons of VOCs in 2025. The widespread adoption of public bicycles and the TPASS (Trip Pass for Travelers) program saw over one million users in 2025, providing the public with more convenient low-carbon travel options.
The introduction of smart technology is a highlight of air pollution control. The application of AI smoke detection, drone inspection, sensor monitoring and smart decision support systems makes environmental law enforcement more precise and governance more effective, which is why it has won the recognition of ICF Global Smart City TOP7.
Regarding the control of dust pollution in the Zhuoshui River, the Yunlin County Government collaborated with the Fourth River Management Office of the Water Resources Agency of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Forestry and Nature Conservation Administration of the Ministry of Agriculture, reducing the number of incident days from 29 in 2019 to 11 in 2025, thus improving the "dust storm" phenomenon and demonstrating the results of cross-agency cooperation between the central and local governments.
County Magistrate Chang Li-shan pointed out that Yunlin County does not have incinerators, but the Environmental Protection Bureau team has made invaluable contributions to the proper handling of waste and maximizing the use of limited resources. She also expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Environmental Protection for its guidance, former Director-General Chang Tzu-ching, Vice President Chang Gen-hui of Yunlin University of Science and Technology, and many experts, scholars, and industry representatives for attending the event. Through the presentation of results and expert consultation meetings, she hopes that Yunlin County will achieve even better results in environmental governance in the future, leading to a better environment and a better future for Yunlin.
Former Environmental Protection Administration Director-General Chang Tzu-ching expressed his pleasure that Yunlin County hosted the expert consultation meeting. Besides reviewing the achievements in air pollution control, he also listened to Director Chang Chiao-wei's presentation on Yunlin County's future plans to invest more resources and utilize existing mechanisms to further improve air pollution control. He believes that the gathering of so many top domestic air pollution experts and scholars today is a testament to Yunlin County's and Director Chang Chiao-wei's efforts in improving air quality. Former Director-General Chang also stated that beyond traditional control measures, identifying the root causes and taking a more proactive approach to effectively improve Yunlin County's air quality is crucial. Under the leadership of County Magistrate Chang Li-shan and the efforts of Director Chang Chiao-wei, all professors and researchers will provide strong support, truly helping the county residents improve air quality.
Yunlin University of Science and Technology Vice President Chang Gen-hui said that it was very rare for the Yunlin County Environmental Protection Bureau to hold a meeting to discuss the achievements of air pollution control and to consult with experts. The experts invited were all top experts in the field in Taiwan. He hopes that the achievements of air pollution control will be further reflected in the beautiful environment of Yunlin County.
Director Chang Chiao-wei of the Yunlin County Environmental Protection Bureau stated that, in fact, Yunlin County still has a long way to go in addressing air pollution. Today, he specially invited experts from across Taiwan's air pollution field to Yunlin County, and hopes that, with the support of County Magistrate Chang, the Environmental Protection Bureau will formulate a three-year large-scale academic research plan to find out the causes of Yunlin County's poor air quality, implement improvements, and work together to maintain Yunlin County's air quality.
Director Chang Chiao-wei pointed out that in the future, Yunlin will continue to utilize smart technology and innovative governance methods to strengthen pollution source management, promote energy recycling, and expand the application of smart monitoring. Through AI image recognition and drone patrols, the efficiency of real-time prevention and control will be improved. Inter-ministerial cooperation and industry support will continue to ensure Yunlin maintains its leading position in air pollution control and sustainable development. At the same time, Yunlin will continue to deepen waste recycling, implement a circular economy of "turning waste into energy," and combine education and community cooperation to encourage public participation in protecting a clean breathing environment.
This "Air Pollution Control Achievements and Expert Consultation Conference" invited top domestic air pollution experts and scholars, including former Environmental Protection Administration Director Chang Tzu-ching, Professor Lin Neng-hui and Professor Li Chung-te of National Central University, Professor Tsai Chun-hung and Professor Wu Yi-lin of National Cheng Kung University, Distinguished Professor Lu Chung-hsing of National Chung Hsing University, Vice President Chang Gen-hui and Professor Chiang Hung-lung of National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, and Visiting Professor Pai Hsun-ling of the Aerogel Science Research Center of National Sun Yat-sen University, to participate together with industry representatives such as Tsai Chien-liang, Deputy General Manager of the Mailiao Management Department of Formosa Plastics Group, and Chang Tsai-jung, General Manager of Jih-Yu Environmental Technology Co., Ltd.
County Magistrate Chang Li-shan stated that this meeting was not only a showcase of achievements but also a significant milestone in the county government's ongoing efforts to safeguard the health of its residents and promote sustainable development. She emphasized that improving air quality requires the joint efforts of the government, industries, and the public. The county government will continue to prioritize the health of its residents, ensuring that everyone breathes fresher air and lives with greater peace of mind.
Sources: Yunlin County Government
