The government has come up with a new solution for students who are affected by toxic emissions from Formosa Plastics' Sixth Naptha Cracker Plant, which is located near their school in Yunlin County, central Taiwan.
A recent test by the National Health Research Institute found that the health of students at Hsu Tsuo elementary school has been harmed by the emissions. The plant releases vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), which can harm a person’s liver if inhaled.
The parents did not agree with the Cabinet’s initial decision to relocate the students to the nearby Feng Rong elementary school. That’s because it would add 10km to their daily commute. The parents continued to send their children to the original school.
Health, education and environmental protection officials responded by holding a press conference on Monday to express the severity of the health risk and present a new solution.
Education Minister Pan Wen-chung said the government understands the parents’ position, and has worked with a third school – Qiao Tou elementary -- to provide extra classrooms so the students can be relocated to a school within reasonable distance.
“According to the latest tests of [the levels of the toxic chemical] within students at the Hsu Tsuo and Qiao Tou schools, the students at Qiao Tou have been found to have lower levels," said Pan.
"That means Qiao Tou elementary school offers a better environment for students," he said. "Therefore, we will ask the Yulin County government to move those students to Qiao Tou elementary school.”
Pan said that the education ministry will help provide free lunches, shuttle buses, and computers for classes at Qiao Tou elementary school. He called on the parents to cooperate and make their children’s health a priority.