Yesterday, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) announced it has established a new Illegal Dumping Management System to combat the ongoing problem of illegal dumping in Taiwan. This hi tech system will use GPS on garbage trucks, security cameras on waste treatment facilities and satellite remote sensing technologies to combat the illegal dumping problem.
Sounds like a step in the right direction but is this just more tech about nothing? Illegal dumping is a major problem in Taiwan. It happens everywhere. It's so common that much of it happens in plain sight. Is the root of this problem not the lack of enforcement? If this is happening in plain sight why aren't the police seeing it? The answer is simply they are but don't do anything about it. The will to tackle the issue is simply not there. There are cameras all over but how often does the footage actually get checked? Obviously not that often.
Taiwan's police are still caught up in the government thug mentality from the Marshal Law era. Until the police are made to start actually policing as officers of the peace, illegal dumping and all those other countless social and environmental issues are not going to be solved with hi tech band aids.
See EPA inaugurates system to impede illegal dumping in today's Taipei Times.
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