各位朋友，大家好：

謹代表美國健康、環境與正義中心（Center for Health, Environment and Justice；CHEJ）向德國Ethecon組織致謝，感謝其頒發2009年黑星球獎（Black Planet Award）給台塑集團董事長兼總經理李志村，以及台塑創辦人兼股東王氏家族。

台塑公司是全球最大的PVC塑膠製造商之一，而PVC無疑是對人類健康和環境最毒的塑膠，其他塑膠製品都不會含有或釋出這麼多有毒化學物質，包括戴奧辛、鄰苯二甲酸脂、氯乙烯、二氯乙烷、鉛、鎘，甚至雙酚A。沒有任何安全的方法可以生產製造、使用或廢棄PVC產品，它整個生命週期都會造成危害。

PVC工廠幾乎清一色位在低收入社區和有色人種社區，這麼一來，生產製造PVC不但違反環境正義，也是對社區居民的種族歧視。PVC製造工廠毒害工人及周圍居民，污染了空氣和飲水，甚至讓整個社區從地圖上消失不見。

在美國，PVC工廠每年排放約500,000磅氯乙烯（一種已知的人類致癌物）和其他各種毒物到大氣中。PVC的生產製造過程和最後廢棄階段，都會釋出致癌的戴奧辛，如果將產品的整個生命週期納入考量，PVC產生的戴奧辛可能比其他任何單一材質還多。

根據國際癌症研究署（International Agency for Research on Cancer）和美國國家毒物計畫（U.S. National Toxicology Program），氯乙烯是已知的人類致癌物，二氯乙烷則是可能的人類致癌物。在製造PVC或其原料的工廠，工人工作時大量暴露在充滿這些化合物的空氣中：有81,000名美國工人經常暴露於氯乙烯，還有77,000人暴露於二氯乙烯。

此外，PVC工人經常暴露於有毒的鄰苯二甲酸脂。根據國家毒物計畫：「將DEHP摻入PVC塑膠的時候，工人將暴露於相對高濃度的毒性，主要的暴露途徑為空氣吸入。」研究已經證實在PVC工廠工作和罹病率增加的相關性，包括血管肉瘤、一種罕見的肝癌、腦癌、肺癌、肝癌、淋巴瘤和肝硬化。

現今PVC工廠的工作暴露程度較1960年代大幅降低，但是暴露於氯乙烯的致癌風險並沒有安全門檻，因此美國工人現在的暴露程度仍然可能致癌。

另外在東歐和亞洲的一些工廠，因職業暴露於VCM的機會仍然非常高。

上述這些污染問題，台塑公司可是前科累累，排放致癌化學物質污染空氣、讓工人和社區居民身處有害化學物質之中。

2009年，美國司法部和台塑公司以1,300萬美元的罰金達成和解，因為台塑在路易斯安那和德州的工廠都爆發「廣泛」違規之情事。美國司法部指出：「環保署發現廣泛違反清淨空氣法案洩漏偵測及修復之情事，包括無法適切監控物質洩漏、無法將化學品製造設備納入洩漏偵測及修復計畫，也無法及時修復洩漏的設備。同時，調查人員在這兩間工廠都發現多種違反有害廢棄物規定之情事。此外，調查人員發現台塑排放的廢水超出其所持有的清潔水法許可（CWA permits），且德州工廠無法符合清淨空氣法案要求的含苯廢棄物操作規定，同時未將正確的毒物排放報告呈交環保署。」

台塑工廠已經不是第一次出問題，尤其台塑德州廠更是累犯。

新近一份研究報告發現，台塑工廠下風處的一群母牛發生DNA受損的現象。

這群DNA受損的母牛習慣在工廠周圍活動，在工廠邊和下風處的母牛受到的傷害最大，染色體結構改變和其他基因損傷將提高動物罹患癌症的風險，同時也可能造成生殖機能受損。

德州的台塑PVC化工廠附近幾處水井，經檢測發現氯乙烯殘留，台塑為了淨化受污染的地下水，花費100萬美元做整治。這間工廠在1991年的時候，就因為違反有害廢棄物的法規而造成地下水污染，罰款超過300萬美元。

台塑無庸置疑是全世界最惡劣的PVC污染源之一。貴組織今揪出這家重大污染企業，我們要向您致敬。

謹以環境正義之名，謝謝您！

PVC-Campaign  反PVC行動網

Center of Health, Environment and Justice (CHEJ) 健康、環境與正義中心

New York, NY

Telephone 212.964.3680 office

eMail mike@chej.org

Internet www.chej.org / www.besafenet.com/pvc

Open Letter PVC Campaign / USA

Greetings and solidarity from the United States.

The Center for Health, Environment and Justice (CHEJ) would like to thank ethecon for awarding Formosa Plastics Group, its CEO Lee Chih-tsuen, as well as to its founder and capital provider, the Wang Family, this year’s 2009 Black Planet award.

Formosa Plastics is one of the largest manufacturers of PVC plastic in the world, and PVC is without a doubt the most toxic plastic for our health and environment. No other plastic contains or releases as many dangerous chemicals. These include dioxins, phthalates, vinyl chloride, ethylene dichloride, lead, cadmium, and even bisphenol A. There’s no safe way to manufacture, use or dispose of PVC products throughout its lifecycle.

PVC plants are disproportionately located in low-income communities and communities of color, making the production of PVC an issue of environmental justice and racism for neighboring residents. PVC manufacturing facilities have poisoned workers and fenceline neighbors, polluted the air, contaminated drinking water supplies, and even wiped entire communities off the map.

Each year, in the U.S. PVC plants pump some 500,000 pounds of vinyl chloride – a known human carcinogen - and many other toxins into the atmosphere. Cancer-causing Dioxins are released into the atmosphere from the production and eventual disposal of PVC. When its entire lifecycle is considered, PVC appears to be associated with the release of more Dioxins than any other single product.

According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the U.S. National Toxicology Program, vinyl chloride is a known human carcinogen, and ethylene dichloride is a probable human carcinogen. Workers in plants that manufacture PVC or its feedstocks receive the highest exposures to these compounds in workplace air—81,000 U.S. workers are regularly exposed to vinyl chloride, while 77,000 are exposed to EDC.

PVC workers are regularly exposed to toxic phthalates; according to the National Toxicology Program, “workers may be exposed to relatively high concentrations during the compounding of DEHP with PVC resins. The major route of exposure is inhalation.”Studies have documented links between working in PVC facilities and the increased likelihood of developing diseases including angiosarcoma, a rare form of liver cancer , brain cancer, lung and liver cancer lymphomas, leukemia, and liver cirrhosis.

Workplace exposures in PVC facilities have been significantly reduced from the levels of the 1960s, however there is no threshold below which vinyl chloride does not increase the risk of cancer. Thus, current exposures in the U.S. continue to pose cancer hazards to workers.

Furthermore, occupational exposure to VCM remains extremely high in some facilities in

Eastern Europe and Asia.

Formosa Plastics has been no stranger to these pollution problems, pumping the air with　cancer-causing chemicals, exposing workers and community members to hazardous chemicals of concern.

In 2009, the U.S. Department of Justice reached a $13 million agreement with Formosa Plastics, for “extensive” violations at their plants in Louisiana and Texas. According to the Department of Justice, “EPA identified extensive Clean Air Act leak detection and repair violations, including failing to properly monitor leaking components, failing to include chemical manufacturing equipment in its leak detection and repair program, and failing to timely repair leaking equipment. Inspectors also identified a variety of hazardous waste violations at both facilities. In addition, the inspectors found that Formosa had violated wastewater discharge limits under its CWA permits, and, at the Texas facility, had failed to comply with the CAA benzene waste operations requirements and to submit correct toxic release reporting information to EPA.”

This isn’t the first time Formosa has had problems at their plants, especially in Point Comfort, Texas.

A new study found that cows downwind of the Formosa Plastics plant have DNA damage.

The study found that cattle with the DNA damage were oriented around the facility, with the highest damage occurring with those nearby and those downwind. The changes in chromosome structure and other genetic damage can increase the animal’s risk of cancer and reproductive damage.

In Point Comfort, Texas, vinyl chloride was discovered in wells near the Formosa PVC chemical plant, and the company had to spend one million dollars cleaning up contaminated groundwater. This same company was fined in 1991 for over $3 million (U.S.) for hazardous waste violations related to the groundwater contamination.

Without a doubt, Formosa is one of the most egregious PVC polluters around the world. We salute you for recognizing this major corporate polluter.

Thank you. In the spirit of environmental justice,

PVC-Campaign

Center of Health, Environment and Justice (CHEJ)

New York, NY

Telephone 212.964.3680 office

eMail mike@chej.org

Internet www.chej.org / www.besafenet.com/pvc