Hundreds of locals fight against establishment of smelting plant

Tangent (泓赫公司) plans to establish a smelting plant for waste materials in Zhong Xing Industrial Zone, which is located at Zhongping Village in Miaoli’s Tongluo Township. On the 13th of July, a public environmental health risk assessment meeting was convened inside the factory grounds, but after people wishing to take filming equipment into the meeting were obstructed by factory guards, a feisty tussle ensued. 

The recycling enterprise intends to introduce integrated smelter-refinery technology to recycle hazardous industrial waste from around the country, including medical waste, resin waste, batteries, and liquid waste. The public, however, is concerned that the plant will cause environmental pollution in the area and is firmly opposed to the venture. At the end of last year, Tangent delivered an environmental impact statement to Miaoli County Environmental Protection Bureau and in accordance with government requirements, a public environmental health risk assessment meeting was arranged. Unfortunately, due to the total chaos and disorder that broke out at the meeting, Tangent was unable to deliver its presentation and an EPA representative at the scene announced that the meeting had been canceled. 

This self-help protest group is composed of several hundred individuals from Tongluo, Gongguan and Miaoli City. The group also includes a Tong Luo people’s representative and village chiefs from the area. With the support of even more environmentally aware citizens in the future, we can prepare for the eco battles that lay ahead.

Hundreds of locals fight against establishment of smelting plant 

URL：https://www.peopo.org/news/341465

(以下是中文對照)

反對設立熔融廠 數百民眾銅鑼抗議

照片

泓赫公司計畫在苗栗縣銅鑼鄉中平村的中興工業區內，設置事業廢棄物熔融廠，7越13日上午在廠區內召開健康風險評估公開說明會，民眾原本想帶攝影器材參加，卻遭到廠方人員阻擋，引發推擠衝突。

資源回收場業者預計要引進整合式熔融製成技術，處理全國有害事業廢棄物，包括醫療廢棄物，樹脂、電池以及廢液,進行資源再生，不過民眾擔心熔融廠設置，會造成地方環境汙染，因此堅決反對。業者去年底(2016)將環境影響說明書，送苗栗縣環保局審查，因此依環評委員要求，召開健康風險評估說明會，
由於現場一片混亂，業者無法進行簡報，環保局代表當場宣布說明會無效。

這場自救會抗爭有來自銅鑼、公館、苗栗市等地數百民鄉親聲援，罕見的由銅鑼鄉民意首長及各村村長為當然委員，未來將陸續加入更多關心環境的民眾，做好長期抗爭的準備。