Taiwan's Ministry of Environment revises rules to raise fees on industrial water pollution

In the first major fee adjustment in a decade, the rules will raise charges on substances such as lead, nickel, copper, mercury, cadmium, chromium, arsenic, and cyanide, while also extending coverage to zinc, tin, and ammonia nitrogen, the Department of Water Quality Protection said. Fees have remained unchanged since the current regulations on water pollution fees for enterprises and sewage systems were enacted 10 years ago.

According to the department, the absence of updated fee structures has weakened the financial incentive for businesses to invest in pollution prevention. If the fees remain lower than what it costs to implement effective pollution controls, companies may opt to pay penalties rather than take proactive environmental steps, it said. To address this, the government decided to revise the system to ensure it more effectively discourages harmful discharges and promotes green investment.

The new adjustments, to be rolled out gradually, are designed to ease the financial burden on industry while still holding major polluters accountable. The department said operators would receive a 50 per cent discount on the revised fees in 2026, with the discount scaled back each year until the full rates are imposed in 2031, reported Taipei Times.

For example, water pollution control fees on lead, nickel and copper will increase from NTD 625 to NTD 1,000 per kilogram next year, and eventually rise to NTD 2,000 per kilogram over six years.

The fee changes are expected to affect about 2,200 industrial sewage system operators, including those in science parks and power plants, and companies in sectors such as semiconductors, printed circuit boards, and electroplating. While the policy targets heavy pollution emitters, the department noted that the financial impact in the first year would be limited, with 90 per cent of affected operators facing an increase of less than NTD 20,000.

Ammonia nitrogen was included in the revised fee list due to its potential to harm aquatic ecosystems and cause eutrophication, the department said. Zinc and tin were added because of their bio accumulative nature, which allows them to build up in living organisms over time.

To further encourage pollution control and resource recovery, the amendments also introduce an investment tax credit for businesses that install or upgrade wastewater treatment facilities. Companies employing technologies that convert waste into usable resources--such as biogas generation from anaerobic fermentation or ammonia nitrogen recycling--can apply for a fee deduction of up to 60 per cent per payment period, valid for a maximum of three years, Taipei Times reported.

The department said the measure is aligned with international efforts to reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable industry practices, ultimately supporting Taiwan's transition to a green economy.