Chen S., Lu P., Lee H., Lu C., Yuan S., Tsai H., Chen J., 2013, Risk Management and Regulatory Control of Toxic Chemicals in Taiwan, Chemical Engineering Transactions, 31, 241-246.
In this paper, we describe the evolution of Toxic Chemical Substances Control Act (TCSCA) regulated by Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration during the past two decades. The TCSCA was originally drafted for the management of utilization and operation of toxic chemical substances from cradle to grave. Following the 921 earthquake in central Taiwan in 1999, the newly issued Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Act further required that the risk management and disaster mitigation from all listed toxic chemicals must also be regulated in TCSCA. Since then, significant modification in the Act and new regulations are added and implemented. In addition, Taiwan EPA is also established information and monitoring centres and seven emergency response teams. These facilities provide 24-hour service and have at least 25 people on duty at all times. The main tools used by these facilities are environmental monitoring equipment, personal protection equipment, and response equipment for leak patching and chemical transfer. The increased regulatory control and response capabilities have greatly reduce the occurrence and potential impact from toxic chemicals incidents as evident from the incident statistics.
