Toxic contamination stirs Niucuo villagers to take action

Formosa Petrochemical Corporation’s No.6 Naptha Cracker Project (台塑六輕) has  indiscriminately dumped ‘toxic lime’ in Yunlin, Changhua and other areas of central and southern Taiwan. Residents claim the ‘toxic lime’ is waste ash from poor quality ‘petroleum coke’ burnt in the cogeneration power plant. In addition to releasing large quantities of sulfur dioxide that causes serious air pollution, the process also produces a highly alkaline waste lime with a pH of 12.5. If this highly corrosive substance is not properly processed and instead indiscriminately dumped, there is a high risk of groundwater and air pollution. In a three-year study commissioned by Yunlin County Government, director of National Taiwan University’s College of Public Health (台灣大學公共衛生學院) Dr. Chang-Chuan Chan (詹長權), confirmed the incidence of cancer around No.6 Naptha Cracker Project and in the Yunlin coastal area has shown a dramatic increase. In the face of disregard and neglect from both government and industry, local residents have been forced to consciously take action in defending their land and homes.

PeoPo 公民新聞 by 單車小賢

Toxic contamination stirs Niucuo villagers to take action

URL:http://www.peopo.org/news/112191

Where has the 20 years of toxic lime gone?

URL: http://www.peopo.org/news/112328

(以下為中文對照)
毒石灰汙染遺萬年 牛厝村民自救發聲

20年來毒石灰到哪去了？

照片

雲林、彰化等中南部縣市，傳出台塑六輕廢棄物「毒石灰」任意傾倒掩埋。而居民所指的毒石灰，是指六輕汽電共生廠發電時，燃燒「石油焦」所產生的灰渣，而石油焦屬於劣質燃料，燃燒時會排放大量二氧化硫，造成嚴重之空氣污染，而過程中產生的廢石灰，pH值高達12.5，屬於強鹼、高腐蝕性物質，若未經處理四處掩埋，也會造成地下水源及空氣污染。

照片

雲林縣政府委託台灣大學公共衛生學院副院長詹長權教授所作之三年研究證實，六輕廠區所在地，雲林沿海地區罹患癌症人口與癌症發生率急劇升高。面對政府以及業者的無視和忽略，地方居民必須自覺以及付出行動，捍衛自己的土地以及家園。