TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The National Science and Technology Council said Saturday that it removed 16 air quality sensors with built-in lithium batteries across Taiwan over safety concerns.
National Science and Technology Council Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) said the agency had uninstalled air quality sensors with such batteries from Hsinchu, Nantou, Tainan, and Chiayi before May. He added that the council will strengthen the inventory of electronic research equipment across the country and implement management and monitoring mechanisms, per CNA.
According to the Yangmingshan National Park Headquarters, an air quality sensor device with built-in lithium batteries caused a fire on the Qixingshan Hiking Trail in Yangmingshan on April 14. The fire burned for more than five hours before being extinguished, affecting approximately 4.5 hectares of national park vegetation.
In 2022, the National Institutes of Applied Research, an affiliate of the National Science and Technology Council, installed three solar-powered air quality sensors at the Xiaoyoukeng Recreation Area on Yangmingshan. The council said the devices transmitted data using the Band 20 radio frequency to test their ability to operate in areas without Wi-Fi or 5G coverage.
The institute said the air quality sensor was also used to detect gases from the Datun Volcano Group on Yangmingshan. It emphasized that the solar-powered components and equipment on the sensor were legally compliant and had undergone testing and verification.
The National Park Service said that it will take about a year for the area affected by the fire on Yangmingshan to fully recover. It added that post-disaster repairs, rescue operations, and the replacement of electronic equipment are expected to cost around NT$1.8 million (US$55,500).
The Interior Ministry said that to protect species habitats and biodiversity, various monitoring instruments have been installed in national parks, including weather sensors, ecological survey tools, disaster monitoring equipment, and infrared cameras.
To prevent wildfires caused by equipment malfunctions, the ministry added that the National Park Service will conduct a comprehensive review and inspection of monitoring devices installed at national parks.
