This document discusses the challenges of food safety and sustainability in Taiwan. It describes the severe pollution problems caused by Formosa Plastics Corp's petrochemical complex in Yunlin County, Taiwan. Studies have shown higher cancer rates and heavy metal concentrations in the surrounding areas. The pollution has damaged the local environment and agriculture. The document advocates for a "Land Ethic" approach to balance industrial development and environmental protection. It calls for citizens to demand change from the government to mitigate pollution and promote clean energy and agricultural innovation, to ensure a sustainable future. The author hopes to establish an NGO to build a more sustainable Taiwan.
SBSTTA 26 Biosafety AI’s. A policy perspective. Jens Warrie.
Tackling food safety and sustainability challenges in Taiwan's petrochemical sector
1. Food Safety and
Sustainability
H.
What do you believe are the greatest
challenges facing the sector you would
like to specialize in at IE? What role do
you hope to be able to play in this
sector in the medium term?
IE Business School
2017 Spring Applicant
Carlos Yeh
3. The World's Biggest Petrochemical Complex:
2603 hectors and 53 petrochemical plants
located in Yunlin, Taiwan.
Photo Credit: Yunlin County Government
Formosa Plastics Corp’s
Sixth Naphtha Cracker Complex
Carlos Yeh
5. Black Planet Award* 2009:
Formosa Plastics Group and its CEO
*given to companies and people
who destroy the environment
Carlos Yeh
Photo Credit: PTS News
ethecon Fondation
6. Photo Credit: Wenbin Qian @ Flickr CC BY SA 2.0
Carlos Yeh
Pollution
In the area surrounding Formosa Plastics Corp's Sixth Naphtha Cracker
Complex there has been a 30-percent rise in liver cancer cases and an
80-percent jump in the overall number of cancer cases. Studies showed
that concentrations of eight heavy metals — vanadium, cadmium, man-
ganese, nickel, arsenic, chromium, mercury and thallium — are higher.
(NTU Professor Chan Chang-chuan, 2009, 2015)
7. DAMAGES
Photo Credit: Yunlin County Government
Carlos Yeh
Yunlin Country,
where Formosa Plastics is located,
is an area in the heart of Taiwan's bread basket, with agricul-
tural output of US$2.2 billion in 2014.
In the past, eager to develop its economy, the Taiwanese gov-
ernment ignored the environmental costs, and overestimated
the short-term economic benefits of industrial development.
Pollution from industrial manufacturing has caused long-term
damage to the environment and impacted agricultural output.
9. Aldo Leopold once said:
"A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity,
stability, and beauty of the biotic community.
It is wrong when it tends otherwise.”
Photo Credit: Yunlin County Government
Carlos Yeh
10. MY OPINION
"Land Ethics" is something we need
to seriously consider since industrial
pollution, pesticide residue, soil acid-
ification and ground subsidence are
having an enormous impact on the
natural environment and agricultur-
al production.
When we take into account severe
pollution, we can envision a future
where the land is no longer able to
support us. Land Ethic is a way to
rethink how we coexist with the
earth.
Carlos Yeh
11. Photo Credit: Yunlin County Government
Carlos Yeh
Cizitens
MUST DEMAND CHANGE
Food and agriculture is the basis of a country, and it is time for citizens to
demand action and for the government to act responsibly to mitigate
petrochemical pollution, use cleaner energy and promote agricultural
innovation, so we can ensure the safety and security of the next generation.
14. (This photo was taken whileI volunteered in 2013 for the
Cheng Long wetlands international environmental art project.)
MY ROLE
Carlos Yeh
I aspire to found an NGO dedicated to building
a more sustainable Taiwan for the next generation.
15. IE Business School
2017 Spring Applicant
Carlos Yeh
Photo Credit: Yunlin County Government
TOGETHER,
WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD.
Thank You