Overview
Taixi and Mailiao Townships, Yunlin County, Taiwan
In the Taixi and Mailiao Townships, near the Sixth Naphtha Cracker of Formosa Plastics, many members of the community fish.
The native fishermen have seen changes in the ocean since the Naphtha Cracker began operating.
The community faces many problems because of the petrochemical site: from water deprivation and air pollution, to frequent accidents in the factories. Cancer rates in the community run high.
However the petrochemical industry has also brought about economic growth and residents don’t want to be labeled as living in a polluted area.
Upstream Community Stories
Rong-Nan Wei
A local fisherman, shows the lost coastline to the Sixth Naphtha Cracker Complex.
Rong Nan Wei
Local Fisherman
Speaks of the low yield and how he has to travel further out to fish.
Mrs Shu-Feng Chang
Her husband died of lung cancer 11 years ago. She is one of the plaintiffs that sued Formosa Plastics for air pollution.
Yuan-He Huang
Professor
Says that he realized something was wrong when he saw so many funeral ceremonies in his village. There are no statistics since families rarely declare that their family member died of cancer.
Yuan-He Huang
Professor
Describes the chemical smell in the neighborhood due to high industrial activity.
Yuan-He Huang
Professor
Calls for a new legal standard to be able to establish a link between the polluted air and the polluters.
