Citizen of the Earth Taiwan presentation on high-tech pollution in Taiwan - presented at APNEC 10
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1. Citizen of The Earth Taiwan (CET) Richie Leu Campaign
against high-tech pollution and expansion in Taiwan
2. The outline of presentation
The present situation of high-tech
industry
The past experience of campaigns
The observations about campaigns
Prospects
3. Conflict ! ! ! An important agricultural zone in Taiwan
4. Semiconductor & optoelectronic industry account for 90%
of total sales of the Science Parks in 2007 8.5 in 10 employees
working for the biggest two (Chiu, 2011:23)
5. I Emergence of public awareness of high-tech pollution
(1997~2006) The beginning from HSP(Hsinchu Science Park)
Fast expansion of the industry-> outbreak of fire incidents
and the waste water pollution -> residents complain
Problems revealed by local journalists
High-tech is clean?
6. Suspicious of cancer cluster in Tai-Chi village
No tap water available, residents rely on groundwater
7. Groundwater pollution trichloroethylene TCE found in the
monitoring well No.19 in the HSP
8. HSP and environmental impacts
9. Arsenic air pollution associated with CTSP I II Central
Taiwan Science Park
2006 As (37.4 ng/m3) found in the area of Dong-Hai University(
)
arsenic levels: over 12 times higher than before operations of
CTSP Phase I & II began
2007.1.8 http://e-info.org.tw/node/19619
10. 2006.4.7 Farms salinated by wastewater from the CTSP
I&II electrical conductivity in the waste water four times
higher than the maximum allowed by the regulation a thousand
hectares of farmland affected
11. II Toward environmental and social justice
movement(2006~2010) http://www.coolloud.org.tw/node/55830
12. Campaign against the expansion of the Phase III of the CTSP
(2005)
13. 2006.6.30 Farmers protested in front of the EPA
14. Siaoli river pollution (2008) Clear Link between IT
production wastewater and ecological catastrophe AUO Siaoli River
Fongshan River CPT Water taken by water company for Hsinpu township
The two manufactures have discharged around 40,000 tons of
wastewater every day directly into the Siaoli River since 1999. AU
Optronics (AUO) Chuanghwa Picture Tubes Map of Siaoli River
15. Story and Controversies
The two companies insisted
wastewater they discharged into the river was not toxic
their wastewater conformed completely to environmental
standards
Environmental Bureau of Taoyuan County supported companies
claims:
Conforming to the environmental regulatory requirements does
not mean fish and frogs in the river, as people define for good
water quality
In 2008, Taiwan EPA issued an official notice, which advise
local people not to directly use the water in Siaoli River
BUT...
16. The protest of expansion of the Phase IV of the CTSP (2009)
CTSP-IV Wastewater discharge channels CTSP-IV site Juoshuei River
Old Juoshuei River
17. Farmers expelled from their land
http://e-info.org.tw/node/57738
18. Key Word!
19. The winning of environmental law suit against the CTSP-III
(2010) 2010.10.15 2010/10/17
http://www.coolloud.org.tw/node/55088
20. The EPA never gives up... distorting the EIA and the law .
While no EIA conclusions can be abided by, companies do not have to
stop construction or operation? Government: what counts most is to
keep government policies consistent and coherent and to prevent
investors from suffering unnecessary losses.
21. The achievement of campaigns
In policy
Stop the expansion of science park temporarily
Creative more strict conditions in EIA conclusion
In legislation
Forced the EPA to draft and announce the "Optoelectronics and
semiconductor Industry Discharge Water Standards" in December of
2010
In judiciary
In the lawsuit of CTSP III , the first time in Taiwan's
judicial history where a court invalidated an EPA determination due
to the deficient process
22. Conclusions
Problems of science parks transform from pure environmental
pollution to arguments over the rights of water and land
Most of the time, the disadvantaged are the victims. Thus, land
justice becomes the core of resistance
However, for the critical part of the issue toxics, our
standing is still limited
23. The Analysis of Chemical Use in TFT-LCD manufacturing
process. (liter/month) Source: Taiwan EPA, Probe Project on
Analysis and regulating Standards on the Quality of Wastewater of
High-tech Industry. Taipei, Taiwan, EPA. -N%: the rate for
self-recycling.
most information regarding pollutant emission remains
unavailable
the current knowledge on the impacts of its pollution
remains insufficient
24. Prospects
Source management of chemical substances
Apply complete risk assessment prior to getting on markets,
otherwise look for alternatives
Amend the Toxic Chemical Substance Control Act by incorporating
REACH
Compulsory disclosure for chemical information
Trade secrets must be clearly defined
Information should be disclosed unconditionally while vital
damages occur