Miaoli environmental groups petition county council to expedite enactment of herbicide management self-governance ordinance

Herbicide use has become an ecological killer in Miaoli

Miaoli County has an ecological corridor of beautiful hills, along with fine mountains and waters, yet the use of herbicides has left mountain roads withered and yellow, causing corridors that were once lush green to suddenly lose their luster. This is truly heartbreaking.

Although herbicides are cheap, convenient and labor-saving, they are an ecological killer. On road sections that have been sprayed with herbicides, butterflies and other insects are almost nowhere to be seen. There are even local farming households gathering wild vegetables and medicinal herbs in the mountains who may mistakenly pick wild vegetables and herbs that carry herbicide residues, and people exercising in the mountains may inadvertently inhale them as well; the spraying of herbicides has imperceptibly increased the public's health risks. In addition, when herbicides are sprayed on mountain roads, after being washed by rain they enter the soil and streams, causing pollution of soil and water sources and even damaging the cleanliness of water source areas.

Environmental groups petition the Miaoli County Council, saying a management ordinance should be enacted as soon as possible

Lin Jinkun, chairman of the Miaoli County Natural Ecology Society, Peng Yifan, chaplain of Shitan Forest University, Lin Huiqing, secretary-general of the Miaoli County Tongxiao Township Environmental Protection Association, Weng Kunzhang, founding chairman of the Miaoli County Coastal Environment Development Association, Chen Qizhong, executive secretary of the New Power Party Miaoli office… and others went to the Miaoli County Council on September 25 to express the need to enact a county self-governance ordinance on herbicide management. They hope that through the self-governance ordinance the use of herbicides can be managed, so that the health of local residents, the soil and water sources will not be affected by improper use of herbicides.

Nangang imposes a NT$5,000 fine for herbicide use

In the news these past two days, a NT$5,000 fine was issued for using herbicides beside a pond in Nangang District, Taipei City, and in a community in Hsinchu City, Malayan night herons came to peck at earthworms, prompting community residents to launch a response to not use herbicides. This shows the awakening of the public and the resolve of the government, and there is nothing this county cannot do.

Miaoli environmental groups petition the council, saying a "herbicide management self-governance ordinance" should be enacted as soon as possible

Therefore environmental groups throughout Miaoli County have jointly submitted a petition to the county council, hoping the county council will enact as soon as possible a "herbicide use management self-governance ordinance," with the demand to prohibit the use of herbicides in the following areas:

(1) Land outside agricultural zones within the scope of urban planning.

(2) Non-urban land belonging to industrial zones, scenic areas and river areas, except land designated as farmland, forestry land and aquaculture land.

(3) Non-urban land designated as various types of building land, transportation land, water use land, recreation land, ecological protection land, national security land and land for specific purposes. Other areas announced by the competent authority. Within the land areas in the first to third items above, land used for agricultural purposes is not subject to this restriction.

At present, County Councilors Chen Mingchao, Huang Yue'e, Pan Qiurong, Yu Yaodong, Chen Guangxuan, Sun Su'e and Liu Shunsong already support the legislation. Among them, County Councilor Chen Guangxuan, who was present, said Miaoli County has fine mountains and waters, and if there are no relevant management rules for herbicide use, it may cause the death of organisms at the bottom of the food chain, and even poisoning of those higher up the food chain such as the leopard cat, birds of prey and even humans, with a tremendous impact on soil and the ecological environment; he will also take on the responsibility of proposing and co-signing as a county councilor.

The petition was submitted by petitioner representative Hong Weifeng to Director Xie of the agenda section of the Miaoli County Council. Environmental protection knows no party lines, and here we call on county residents to reflect their views to their local county councilors and support this together, so as to safeguard the public's health and further preserve green space and ecology, leaving future generations a safe and beautiful living environment.