Taiwan Church News

3331 Edition

December 28, 2015 - Jan 3, 2016

Headline News

Against Deadly Pollution, A Demonstration Of Anti-PM2.5 Demands Clean Air

Reported by Chiu Kuo-rong

An environmental demonstration, named as "National Campaign Against Air Pollution, Anti Climate Change AndSave Our Health" and organized by Taiwan Clean Air Network, was launched at Taipei on December 26, 2015. Starting from the Environmental Protection Agency to the end of Ketagalan Boulevard before the Presidential Office Building, hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets and asked the government to ensure a clean air.

Dr. Yu Wen-yi, a PCT member, a physician specialized in respiratory disease and the president of Taiwan Society,gave his serious warning about the danger of PM2.5(particulate matter) to the audience: "As a respiratory physician, I have to say that the existence of PM2.5 is tantamount to a explicit homicide happening among us, knowing that PM2.5 would destroy the mitochondria of the cell and cause kinds of diseases and even cancer in human body".

PM2.5 will not only causes cell catabolism in the respiration system of human body, many illness are likely toshow up following the blood circulations in the body for years, said Dr. Yu. As PM2.5 is smaller than mold or pollen, it can be attached with the particles of lethal heavy metals and floats in the air for a period of time.

There are five major appeals in this national campaign for clean air: 1. Due to air pollution and climate change are issues of national security, the President should establish a special task force and act immediately. 2. Phase out coal-fueled power plant; set up the limit of PM2.5 in 2020( annual average as 15 mg/cubic meter; 24 hrs average as 35 mg/cubic meter) 3. In the third class air quality zone, total output of the fixed pollutants should be slashed off 40% in the next 4 years; there should be one air quality inspection station in each town. 4. Tax on the fixed pollutant sites and specify the control limit of Harzadous Air Pollutants(HAPs). 5. Ellevate energy efficiency, practice the life of "low carbon and green energy" and promote the policy of "Zero growth of electricity demand".

Translated by Peter Wolfe