Legislators Name the EPA the Culprit in Incinerator Bottom Ash Invading Farmland, Demand a Revised Plan Within Two Weeks
The Changhua Environmental Alliance and the Tainan Community University have repeatedly reported that incinerator bottom ash, after being mixed with a small amount of cement to become "low-density recycled permeable concrete," is being dumped on farmland in Changhua, becoming a legal channel for disposing of the ash. However, the bottom ash all contains heavy metals, and after only physical treatment such as picking and sorting, its toxicity remains, violating the Farmland Soil Control Measures and threatening to severely contaminate farmland.
Legislator Chen Jiao-hua, together with environmental groups, held a press conference. Changhua City Councilor Wu Wei-da revealed that a single mushroom farm could handle one-fifth of the annual bottom ash from the Xizhou incinerator. "Using farmland to solve the problem of having nowhere to put bottom ash is simply absurd!" (Background reading: Incinerator bottom ash turns into "recycled concrete" and invades farmland, with heavy metals seriously exceeding standards)
Farmland Becomes a Bottom Ash Landfill: The EPA Is the Chief Culprit
In response to recent reports by environmental groups and the media that large amounts of incinerator bottom ash have been backfilled onto farmland, seriously violating the principle that farmland should be used for farming, Legislator Chen Jiao-hua, Changhua City Councilor Wu Wei-da, and environmental groups held a press conference today (2/22). In addition to exposing the absurd current situation of waste dumping, they also invited the EPA's Waste Management Division, the Environmental Inspection Corps, and the Council of Agriculture to attend and provide explanations.
Chen Jiao-hua first pointed out that the EPA, through its announcement of the "Management Methods for the Reuse of Incineration Bottom Ash from Garbage Incineration Plants," agreed that incinerator bottom ash containing large amounts of heavy metals, after being mixed with cement powder, could become "low-density recycled permeable concrete" and enter farmland, contaminating farmland and the environment.
The Council of Agriculture has clearly stated in multiple official letters that even sand, gravel, bricks, tiles, and concrete blocks are not allowed when filling farmland, let alone incinerator bottom ash containing heavy metals and dioxins. Why did the EPA agree that farmland could be filled with recycled products made from incinerator bottom ash? "Is the EPA opening a back door? Letting incinerator bottom ash that has nowhere else to go enter farmland?"
In addition, Chen Jiao-hua also questioned that the Council of Agriculture repeatedly used official letters to explain that farmland "may only be backfilled with soil suitable for crop cultivation," yet failed to enshrine this rule in law, clearly turning a blind eye. She also angrily pointed out that the EPA ignored the Council of Agriculture's official letters, saying, "It is utterly outrageous. Why can it enact regulations that conflict with those of another agency?"
