A series of carbon monoxide poisoning cases in recent years have prompted lawmakers to call for a stricter standard for carbon monoxide emission from gas water heaters. The current legal limit in Taiwan is twice as high as that in Japan and more than four times higher than in China. And the authorities have responded that a new standard will be announced in March at the earliest.

Many lawmakers are questioning the domestic gas water heaters set standard of carbon monoxide emission of 2,800 ppm as too lenient, with 81 people died from carbon monoxide poisoning in the past 5 years that happened mostly in winter time, the Taiwan standard really should be lowered when comparing with Japanese standard of 1,400 ppm and Chinese standard of 600 ppm.

The higher the carbon monoxide level, the faster the person could die from inhalation and less time to save the person.

Therefore, legislators have asked the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection to adjust the level.

The Bureau pointed out that, at the earliest, the announcement would be made publicly by March, though some lawmaker would like to see the standard to be 600ppm just like the Chinese standard for Taiwan is a big exporter of gas heater to China, therefore, technically, there should not be a problem for the restriction.

In the future, they are also hoping to have random inspection of all gas heaters sold on the market to protect the rights of local consumers