In November, the Taiwan Provincial Environmental Protection Bureau revealed the results of investigation of 18 industrial zones. Tayuan Industrial Zone was found entirely substandard for water quality at the outlet of its wastewater treatment plant and another 11 districts were found substandard at their outlets of rainwater sewers. The Taiwan Provincial Environmental Protection Bureau decided to put the problem of industrial zones in order. (Ta-hua wan-pao, 1986/11/04/6)

     During 1987-1989, the short-term control program showed some results. There were 576 factories inspected in 1987 and 602 in 1988 and 1989. The inspections were carried out along nine rivers: Chilung ho, Hsintien Ch'i, Peikang Ch'i, Potzu ch'i Pachang ch'i Chishui ch'i Yenshui ch'i Erhjen ch'i, and Tungkang ch'i. The rate of improvement was 26 percent in 1987, 69 percent in 1988, and 92 percent in 1989. There were 56 public enterprises inspected in three years and the rate of improvement was 45 percent, 74 percent, and 93 percent, respectively.

There were 60 private enterprises inspected in three years and the rate of improvement was 32 percent, 57 percent, and 85 percent, respectively.

     It is notable that of the 225 factories in the industrial zones inspected in 1987, none improved. The number of the factories increased to 236 in 1988 and 1989 and the rate of improvement increased to 49 percent and 83 percent, respectively. Moreover, 27 wastewater treatment plants of industrial zones were taken into inspection in 1988 and 1989 and the rate of improvement was 3 percent and 74 percent, respectively. Of the 17 petrochemical factories inspected in 1988 and 1989, the rate of improvement was 76 percent and 83 percent, respectively. Of the 198 paper factories inspected in 1988 and 989, the rate of improvement was 7 percent and 67 percent, respectively. On average, the rate of improvement was 21 percent in 1987, 4 percent in 1988, and 77 percent in 1989. These results showed that there were improvements, but on the whole not so satisfactory. (TPEPB, 1987: 71; 1988:99; 1989: 99)

     It is notable that factories and wastewater treatment plants of the industrial zones were comparatively worse than those located elsewhere. Many people enthusiastic in environmental protection pointed out that the factory owner prefer to spend money in bribes rather than in improving equipment for pollution and this was the very reason why the progress of environmental protection in Taiwan lagged behind other countries for 20 years. (Tzu-yu shih-pao, 1988/10/18/15)