To fight against air pollution, Taichung City Government has expanded the equipment from 2 to 6 mobile AQ (air quality) monitors today (10). Now the City is the local government that has the most mobile monitors in Taiwan. Mayor Lin Chia-lung says, to react with the best policy, the Government collects and analyzes pollutants systematically. City Government of “High Tech Force” monitored every corner of the City with “Night Hawk Project”. So far the execution has discovered plural industrial park air pollutants discharge.

Over 23 million NTD budget, the four mobile monitors launch service at City Hall, Taiwan Boulevard, targeting high polluted locations and areas with no monitors. The monitors not only collect data to analyze volatile organic compound, gaseous pollutants and particulate pollutants, but also watch on 59 odorous substance discharged from plants. The result is put to cross reference with pollutants to identify the discharging source.

Joined by Legislators Zhang-Liao Wan-jian, MP Zhang Yao-zhong and Chiefs of villages, Mayor Lin attended the ceremony accompanied by Director of EPB Bai Zhi-rong. To complete the best smart monitors to the environment, says Mayor Lin, City Government completed smart city based “Three Firsts” and “Two Innovations” programs. Owning the most “Mobile AQ Monitors” in Taiwan and “Micro AQ Detectors” by regional government. First “Air Pollutant Inspection Lab” in local region. First “fixed Traffic Condition Monitor” in central Taiwan, and first “Night Hawk Program” that focuses on air pollution monitor.

AQ improvement is based on scientific data, says Mayor Lin. “Action is louder than words”, City Government invests on monitors to keep AQ under supervision; open data provided on the website to the public declares updated numbers monitored. According to EPB, the PM2.5 of the first 6 months of the year was 20.9 μg, which is lower than same period last year. As for UVI, with old measurement of critical standard, there were 10 days when it exceeded the UVI standard, giving the best records in 8 years.

The City works on reducing coal usage, pollutant discharges but electricity supply. It requires power plant and consistent supply for a city of growing population and development, says Mayor Lin. We have confident in further reduction on air pollutants. The launch of monitors indicates upgraded prevention measure for air pollution. Join us to better our air quality in Taichung.

According to Director of EPB Bai Zhi-rong, apart from original 2 mobile air quality monitors, 4 more mobile monitors of 23 million NTD supervising PM10, PM2.5, NOx, Sulfur dioxide and Ozone. Monitors will focus on pollution hot spots and areas without fixed AQ monitors; one particular monitor detects and identifies 59 odorous substances discharged from plants to locate pollutant source.

4 “Discover GNP” designed mobile monitors are painted with regional flowers “Gladiolus”, “Dancing-Doll Orchid”, “lily”, and “Flamingo”, make the equipment green worthy that echoes the Flora Expo theme.