The spokesman said that from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31 last year, the EPA stepped up enforcement of regulations governing exhaust emissions by diesel-powered vehicles on southern Taiwan’s freeways in an attempt to identify and stop gross polluters.

As a result, 211 vehicles were declared to be gross polluters because they failed to pass emission standards by a wide margin. The total comprised 133 poorly maintained vehicles, with the remaining 78 found to be using diesel fuel of inferior quality meant for use by fishing boats.

The owners of the diesel trucks and combination vehicles were each subjected to fines of between NT$3,000 and NT$60,000 and were ordered to fix their vehicles and submit them for re-testing.

A total of 4,158 diesel vehicles were required to undergo inspection after photos taken at checkpoints showed emissions of seemingly excessive pollution during the three-month operation.

In addition to the 211 gross polluters, the owners of 251 other vehicles that also failed the tests were ordered to have their vehicles serviced for emission certification.

Another 721 vehicles also failed the inspections because of insufficient horsepower for their intended loads.

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