Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2010, 7 3. Uses and Distribution of Pesticide-POPs in Taiwan 3620 In line with the international treaties and/or efforts since the early 1970s, the Taiwanese government has promulgated relevant regulations for banning the production, import, sale, and use of pesticide-POPs, which were widely used as insecticide. Table 3 lists the banning or restriction dates of pesticide-POPs under the authorization of the environmental laws, including the Pesticide Management Act, the Toxic Chemical Substance Control Act and the Environmental Agents Control Act. Table 3. The data list of pesticide-POPs officially banned or restricted in Taiwan. Pesticide-POPs pBeasntinceiddeassa toxBicacnhneemdicaasls b enviroBnmanennetdalaasgents c Comments Aldrin Jan. 1, 1975 May 2, 1989 Apr. 20, 1998 Chlordane -- Jun. 24, 1988 Apr. 20, 1998 Never registered Chlordecone -- -- -- Never registered DDT Jul. 1, 1973 May 2, 1989 Apr. 20, 1998 Dieldrin Jan. 1, 1975 May 2, 1989 Apr. 20, 1998 Endrin Jan. 1, 1971 May 2, 1989 -- Heptachlor Jan. 1, 1975 May 2, 1989 Apr. 20, 1998 Hexachlorobenzene -- Dec. 24, 1993 -- Never registered α-Hexachlorocyclohexane Jan. 1, 1975 May 2, 1989 Apr. 20, 1998 β-Hexachlorocyclohexane Jan. 1, 1975 May 2, 1989 Apr. 20, 1998 Lindane Aug. 7, 1984 May 2, 1989 Apr. 20, 1998 Mirex -- -- -- Never registered Pentachlorobenzene -- -- -- Never registered Toxaphene Jul. 19, 1983 May 2, 1989 -- a Under the authorization of the Pesticide Management Act (Council of Agriculture). b Under the authorization of the Toxic Chemical Substances Control Act (Environmental Protection Administration). c Under the authorization of the Environmental Agents Control Act (Environmental Protection Administration). It is seen that some pesticide-POPs (i.e., chlordane, chlordecone, heptachlor, mirex and pentachlorobenzene) were never registered in Taiwan. As a consequence, the source inventories of pesticide-POPs in Taiwan were not fully developed because their use/consumption activities were insufficient to identify and/or quantify the emissions from all sources. Basically, pesticide-POPs are not produced naturally, so their presence in the environment must be in consequence of anthropogenic activities. Inevitably, the traces of these chemicals were directly released to receiving water body and the atmosphere via permitted discharges at its manufacturing facilities (emission sources), or could be indirectly and directly emitted to the environment during the application and handling of these OCPs. From the released amount, the environmental properties and biodegradability for pesticide-POPs, we can see that their distributions in the environment could be detected as trace concentrations in soils and sediments. The central competent authorities in Taiwan, including the Council of Agriculture (COA) and the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA), have conducted monitoring surveys on soil and river bottom sediment for common pesticide-POPs. The monitoring results in the environmental media were briefly summarized as follows: