Soil & Groundwater Pollution Remediation Act
The Soil and Groundwater Pollution Remediation Act is a piece of legislation enacted by Taiwan in 2000. The law's goals are to prevent and rehabilitate soil and groundwater damage, in order to protect both the environment and public health.
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Prevention and Remediation Measures
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Local government has jurisdiction over monitoring and enforcing the law. Regular monitoring must be performed and reported to a central authority. Any new enterprises undertaken upon land must first pass inspection and are subject to liability for any pollution on that land.
Control Measures
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The law provides several forms of control, which the government is authorized to execute. These include ordering a cease and desist of harmful activities, erecting warning fences, providing an alternative source of drinking water, notifying agricultural authorities, evacuating residents and taking steps to remove pollutants.
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Finance and Responsibility
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Under the law, the government may hold any private corporation responsible for importing into the country the harmful chemicals responsible for the crises at hand. The law also establishes a Soil and Groundwater Remediation Fund, formed from charges levied upon responsible parties.
Penalties
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Punishment for failure to comply with the law is harsh. According to Chapter 7 of the law, violation results in at least seven years to life in prison. Should death result from breaking the law, a fine of $5 million is levied, and $3 million should there be any kind of serious bodily harm to an individual.
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References
- Photo Credit pollution image by Joseph Chiapputo from Fotolia.com
