In recent days, Environmental Protection Bureau of Taichung City Government (EPB) often receives citizens’ complaints about the roads being polluted by soil falling from agricultural machinery. As it happens to be the spring plowing for the first rice crops, the soil carried by agricultural machinery often falls on the road surface and then pollutes the roads or be rolled over by the vehicle, resulting in the dusty air pollution and that can easily affect the driving safety of the others. Farmers and those who have been commissioned to engage in farming shall remove soil blocks on the tires and carried by the machinery before driving the agricultural machinery on the road; and shall clear the roads on which agricultural machinery has been driven. Where the EPB discovers any pollution caused by soil falling on the road surface from agricultural machinery, the violator or the owner, manager or user of the cultivated land will be subject to a fine from NTD1,200 to NTD6,000. Citizens who discover any pollution caused by agricultural machinery may also dial EPB’s 24-hour public hazard report hotline (04)23280380 to report the case, helping to reduce environmental pollution.

To prevent roads being polluted by soil carried by agricultural machinery, the most effective way is to move agricultural machinery with another vehicle as it will directly eliminate the problem of polluting the roads. Those who do not have a transportation vehicle shall bring a pump motor to wash the agricultural machinery, ensuring that the soil is totally removed before driving the machinery on the road; and shall prepare a long-handled iron rake and big broom to remove soil washed from the machinery on the road.


Besides, as prescribed in Article 9 of the “Agricultural Machinery License Management Regulations”, owners of motor-powered rubber-tired agricultural machinery that has four or more than four wheels and can be driven on the road shall apply for an agricultural machinery license plate when apply for an agricultural certification; and shall affix the license plate in an apparent place in the front or on the back of the machinery before driving it on a urban road or highway. Agricultural machinery owners shall ensure that the machinery is affixed with a license plate when it is driven on the road; or, the competent roadway or police authority will report the person with the violation and impose a fine in accordance with the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act.