Changhua launches actions to tackle ocean pollution

彰化發起治理海洋污染行動

Local government tries to unite residents through pursuit of ocean sustainability


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) —The Changhua local government has launched a series of environmental actions with residents related to ocean cleanup, according to Business Today.

The coastal province of Changhua contains several places regarded as "wetlands of international importance" by the Ministry of the Interior. These include the Zhuoshui Estuary Wetland, the Dacheng Wetland, and the Hanbao Wetland.

The county is located at the confluence of the northern and southern currents, leaving it vulnerable to pollution. With an intertidal zone of up to 61 kilometers, plastics, aluminum cans, and discarded fishing gears can come in with the high tide, jamming the wetlands.

With the aid of residents, the government has been cleaning up the beaches and oceans while resetting the holding area for fishing waste. They have also been putting inceptors in the water, which are vessels anchored to a riverbed that divert waste into a collection system at the source of the harm. Last year, the interceptors successfully prevented 152.4 tons of waste from entering the ocean via Taiwan’s rivers.

In 2017, the county government launched the environmental protection fleet in partnership with the public. Most of the 210 members are either fisherman or oyster farmers.

The fleet collects marine waste and brings it to the Harbor Inspection office for classification and recycling, with rewards offered for hauls as of last year.

The 708 kg of marine waste collected in Changhua in 2020 was 11 times the amount collected in 2019, helping the county win an award from the Ocean Conservation Administration.

"People have reached a consensus on protecting the oceans and are now willing to contribute, which explains the growth," said Jiang Pei-gen (江培根), director of the Changhua County Department of Environmental Protection.

The county has also begun beach cleanup efforts, dividing the 36.9 km beach into 19 parts to be handled by different local authorities. Over 100 beach cleanup activities involving residents occur annually.

Schools are also getting involved, with the county government encouraging teachers to increase the conservationist curriculum, have students make picture books about environmental topics, and schedule field trips to learn about the ocean.