Opposition to Taiwanese Chemical Plant Grows

Oyster farmer Hsieh Shu believes the chemical plant will destroy livelihoods. Photo retrieved from: www.bbc.co.uk

“My parents, grandparents and great grandparents were all oyster farmers, and now my kids also work in this field.

“We’ve been doing this for more than 100 years,” Hsieh said.

This area in western Taiwan’s Changhua County will look and function very differently if Taiwan’s government allows state-owned oil refiner CPC Corporation to build a $20bn petrochemical plant here.

Plans for the 2,000-hectare plant include a 300,000 barrel-a-day refinery, factories that produce 25 types of chemical products, and a plant that will significantly boost Taiwan’s capacity to produce ethylene.

Ethylene is a lucrative and much sought-after petrochemical product used in construction materials, textiles and plastic and film products.

First proposed in 2006, with the current site selected in 2008, the Kuokuang project has been stalled for four years because of objections from farmers, local residents and environmentalists.

It has seen the strongest public opposition to an industrial project in Taiwan in years.

Objections have intensified recently as stakeholders step up efforts to win government approval.

Ecosystem fears

Opponents say it will harm the precious eco-system, and pollute the air and water in an area that provides much of the country’s fish and farm products.”

Read more: BBC News