US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI2997

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TAIPEI 002997 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON AND AID 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/RSP/TC AND OES/PCI 
 
USDOC FOR 6200/ITA/TD/ENVIROTECH EXPORTS 
 
FROM AIT KAOHSIUNG BRANCH OFFICE 
 
EPA FOR OIA - DAN THOMPSON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV, ECON, TW, ESTH 
SUBJECT: Dioxin Threatens Taiwan's Food Supply 
 
1.  Summary.  Two major incidents of dioxin contamination 
have come to light in recent months.  In one case, 
researchers under contract with Taiwan's Environmental 
Protection Administration (TEPA) determined that dioxin 
levels in sludge from Tainan's Chufakang and Luermen Rivers 
is more than fifty times TEPA's established standard for 
ground pollution.  Even higher levels have been detected in 
the soil of fish-farming operations in the area.  Testing of 
local residents over the age of fifty for dioxin levels 
revealed that sixty percent of those tested had dioxin 
levels more than twice as high as TEPAS's accepted level. 
Fishing has been banned in the two rivers and sales of fish 
from fish farms in the area have been halted.  In another 
case, after finding high levels of dioxin in duck eggs from 
Changhua, Agricultural authorities culled thousand of ducks 
and ordered the destruction of more than one million eggs. 
Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), TEPA and the 
Council for Agriculture have agreed to provide US$42 million 
as compensation for the economic losses to the residents who 
have tested above the TEPA accepted levels for dioxin.  End 
Summary. 
 
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Former Government-owned Plant is Source of Contamination 
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2.  Taiwan Alkali's Anshun Plant operated by Taiwan's 
Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) began producing 
pentachlorophenol in 1964.  The resulting industrial wastes, 
including dioxin, were dumped into the local rivers.  In 
1981, MOEA officials determined that the site was 
contaminated with dioxin and mapped out a series of measures 
to clean up the sites.  However, due to budget constraints, 
the clean-up projects were never carried out.  In May 1982, 
MOEA ordered the plant to cease production and in 1983, the 
facilities were sold to another MOEA-owned company, China 
Petrochemical Development Corporation (CPDC).  CPDC never 
resumed production at the plant.  CPDC was privatized in 
1994. 
 
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Taiwan's EPA Initiates Dioxin Study in 2005 
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3.  In January 2005, TEPA contracted with the Industrial 
Technology Research Institute (ITRI), a quasi-governmental 
research agency, to conduct research on the pollution of the 
CPDC Anshun Plant site, the neighboring Chufakang and 
Luermen Rivers, and various fish farms in the area.  The 
research focused on levels of pentachlorophenol, mercury and 
dioxin in groundwater, soil, and sludge from the two rivers 
and fish farms.   Based on ITRI's preliminary report, 
pentachlorophenol and mercury levels in groundwater were 
acceptable, but dioxin levels were found to be elevated in a 
twenty-acre area adjacent to the Luermen River. 
 
4.   Tests of dioxin levels in sludge from the Chufakang 
River were 1670pg/g (all results using the ITEQ method), and 
those in the soil of some neighboring fish farms reached 
levels of 3700pg/g.  Mercury content in sludge from 
Chufakang River and Luermen River was within expected levels 
and pentachlorophenol was not detected.  TEPA's current 
standard for dioxin content in soil is 1000pg/g.  No 
standards have been established for rivers.  The report also 
shows mercury content in the soil adjacent to the plant's 
employee dormitory at 24.9 ppm, higher than TEPA's maximum 
standard of 20 ppm. 
 
5. ITRI and TEPA have also worked with local health 
officials to test local residents for dioxin exposure. 
Sixty individuals over the age of 50 were tested.  The 
results showed blood dioxin levels of 15pg/g (more than 
double the normal dioxin level) in 60% of the individuals 
tested.  Since the primary means for human exposure is 
through food, ITRI is currently conducting tests on fish 
produced in the affected area.  Results of this testing are 
not yet available.  TEPA will publish a completed research 
report by November 2005 and plans to try to make CPDC take 
responsibility for any clean -up.  However, this may be 
challenging because, according to TEPA officials, there are 
no standards for dioxin levels of river sludge and no 
regulations under which TEPA can compel companies to clean 
up affected sites. 
 
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Changhua Case 
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6.  In another incident in Changhua County in central 
Taiwan, in February 2005, excessively high levels of dioxin 
in duck eggs were found in a local market.  As a result of 
the testing, Taiwan's Council for Agriculture quietly 
ordered the culling of 20,000 ducks at farms in Changhua 
along with the destruction more than one million duck eggs 
in March 2005.  Despite the results and actions taken, this 
case was not picked up by the media until June 2005.  While 
a search for pollution sources is on-going, TEPA has 
determined that the Taiwan Steel Union Corporation, a steel 
ash recycler, has been emitting dioxin at a level several 
times higher than that permitted for waste incinerators. 
Nonetheless, as recycling plants are not covered by the same 
regulations as for waste incinerators, the company continues 
to operate despite warnings from TEPA. 
 
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Dioxin is in the Food Supply 
---------------------------- 
 
8.  Results of fish testing in the Tainan area are not 
complete, but based on the elevated blood levels in human 
subjects, Taiwan authorities expect to find a link to humans 
in the food chain.  Health authorities have also begun human 
testing in Changhua, but results have yet to be published. 
 
9.  While most of the fish produced by farms in Tainan is 
sold only in the Tainan markets, Changhua County is a major 
supplier of fruit, vegetables and poultry products for the 
Taipei market.  Despite the fact that Changhua is Taiwan's 
leading agricultural region, Taiwan authorities have not 
begun testing the broad range of food products produced 
there for dioxin content.  Even if such testing is 
conducted, Taiwan lacks a body of regulations to deal 
effectively with food contamination. 
 
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Compensation 
------------ 
 
10.  In response to the public outcry that has followed the 
press coverage of these cases, Taiwan's Ministry of Economic 
Affairs (MOEA), TEPA and the Council for Agriculture have 
agreed to provide US$42 million as compensation for the 
economic losses to the residents who have tested above the 
TEPA accepted levels for dioxin.  The government has 
provided 6,000 New Taiwan Dollars (NTD)(USD 187) each month 
for five years to each affected household and for those who 
are unable to work as a result of dioxin poisoning, the 
government has promised to provide 16,000 NTD (USD 500) each 
month for five years. 
 
10.  Comment.  Taiwan is currently approaching the dioxin 
problem on an ad hoc basis in response to pressure from 
environmental groups.  Absent adequate regulations and a 
clear plan for monitoring the food and water supply, 
identifying and responding to such incidents will remain 
difficult.  AIT will continue to monitor and report on this 
issue as more information becomes available. End Comment. 
 
Johnson 
 
Keegan