Checklist for Taiwan’s Serial Water Polluter

→ Return to the front page

Checklist for ASE

× Work with the community to establish a Houjin River Watch Group.
× Investigate the impact on the Houjin River from the discharge and propose plans for restoration.
× Make their real time discharge monitoring data available online.
(Currently, ASE merely sets up a bulletin board at the front of the factory.)
× Make the effluent water meet the irrigation water quality standard .
× Propose targets and a timetable for achieving zero wastewater discharge .
× Compensate for the emergency purchase of the vegetables growing downstream, which was paid for by the Kaohsiung City with tax money at the time of the incident.

Checklist for Kaohsiung City Government

√ Order ASE to suspend operations and convene audit meetings for resuming operations.
×  Involve stakeholders in the audit meetings for resuming operation.
× Make the real time wastewater monitoring data public.
×  Convene a coalition meeting that involves the government, judiciary, and local residents.
× Thoroughly investigate the pollution of the Houjing River and conduct a risk assessment as well as responsible environmental management.
× Raise the effluent water standard of the Houjing River.

Checklist for Central Government

√ Amend the Water Pollution Control Act.
√ Re-exam tax subsidies/loans and other incentive policies.
√ Investigate ASE’s responsibility for the incident and hold the responsible personnel to account.
× Make the audit process transparent and accessible to the public;integrate CSR in the prerequisites of resuming operation.
× Establish a Water Pollution Remediation Fund.
× Make corporations’ non-compliance record and fines public,as well as the chemicals in use and wastewater discharge data.
× The Industrial Development Bureau must abolish incentive polices for greenwashing and require corporations to be fully responsible for the associated environmental costs.
× Conduct agricultural and epidemiological research as well as risk assessment in areas at high risk of pollution.
× The burden of proof must be shifted away from the claimant.