Taiwan Lawmaker Calls for Overhaul of Indoor Air Quality Act, Citing Human Rights

Legislator Liu Chien-kuo is spearheading a push to amend Taiwan's "Indoor Air Quality Management Act," a piece of legislation that has remained unchanged for 15 years. At a press conference, Liu, who is also a candidate for Yunlin County Magistrate, highlighted the critical need for improved indoor air quality, citing expert opinions and international human rights standards.

“

Clean and safe indoor air is clearly positioned as a basic human right.

Liu emphasized that people spend a significant portion of their lives indoors, a reality underscored during the recent pandemic. He pointed to the United Nations' "High-Level Event on Healthy Indoor Air" in 2025, which will launch a "Global Declaration for Healthy Indoor Air," explicitly recognizing "clean and safe indoor air" as a fundamental human right. Taiwan's current law, however, fails to reflect this evolving understanding.

To address this gap, Liu has outlined four major demands for legislative reform. Firstly, the law must establish healthy indoor air as a basic human right and define the government's responsibilities. Secondly, a risk-based classification system should be implemented to prioritize the protection of vulnerable populations. Thirdly, the act needs to incorporate smart monitoring, ensure data quality, and promote proactive improvement measures. Finally, Liu calls for a comprehensive review of standards, labeling systems, public education, and resources for air quality improvement.

“

Environmental protection agencies cannot aim to improve air quality solely through penalties, as in the past. They should emulate other countries by using subsidies, incentives, and tax reductions to increase the willingness of indoor venues to improve air quality.

Experts supporting Liu's initiative stressed the importance of a human rights approach to indoor air quality management. Professor Yuan Chung-hsin from National Chungshan University's Institute of Environmental Engineering stated that this approach involves clear government targets, phased improvements, public progress reports, and ensuring that cost does not exclude vulnerable groups. Professor Shao Wen-cheng from National Taipei University of Technology's Department of Architecture suggested a phased implementation, including baseline assessments in sensitive locations within three years and prioritizing high-risk areas for improvement within five years, supported by subsidies and joint procurement to ease the burden on front-line facilities.

“

Human rights-based governance for healthy indoor air includes accessibility, prioritization of the vulnerable, the right to know, and accountability.

Professor Tsai Yu-hsi of National Taipei University of Technology's Department of Energy and Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineering highlighted the role of smart monitoring, not as a replacement for professional testing, but as a tool for continuous data collection and AI-assisted improvements. He noted that establishing standards for equipment, calibration, and data formats could stimulate an "air economy" encompassing sensors, filtration systems, and related services. Honorary Chairman Cheng Jen-hsiung of the Taiwan Indoor Environment Quality Management Association pointed out existing issues such as the lack of periodic review in the parent law, insufficient risk-based management, inadequate long-term exposure assessment, and fragmented inter-agency responsibilities. He proposed a three-tiered system of universal self-management, risk-priority management, and statutory enforcement to balance reduced burdens for low-risk environments with enhanced protection for high-risk ones.

“

Children, the elderly, patients, and those with chronic illnesses often cannot choose their environment themselves, so the system must provide a higher level of protection.