Origin
Ministry
of Health authorized Cheng Kung University to examine “Annual Food Background
Value Survey” in 2005, and it was found that the dioxin content in duck eggs
from Hsien-Hsi was over average when wholesales examined duck eggs.
Pollution Investigation
In June 2005, Ministry of
Health founded that the dioxin content in duck eggs from Hsien-Hsi in Changhua
was over average, and reported to Environmental Protection Administration (EPA);
at that time, EPA only reported to Council of Agriculture. However, it's been
one thing after another, not over half year, and the dioxin pollution also
broke out in Shenkang farms which are close to Hsien-Hsi in September the same
year. Therefore, EPA thought the polluted farms were by no means two places
only. Within one month after the outburst, EPA aimed at duck breeding farms to
do environmental assessment (EA), and many scholars regarded the Taiwan Steel Union
(TSU) which is near polluted farms as the main cause, and doubted the pollution
was caused by dust collection. However, EPA overturned this perspective and
stated that Dioxin has biological accumulation, and near 90 percent dioxin
content in body was entered via intaking, but less 10 percent via inhaling;
moreover, the feature of dioxin emission from TSU is different from it in the
polluted meat and eggs, so they couldn’t judge TSU is the only pollution
source.
|
In
the end of same year, the report which duck farmers were anxious for came out finally,
but it overturned the EPA statement, since it aimed at TSU as the main cause.
The result was totally different from statement of EPA, and it was reported the
track of dioxin from nine polluted farms was similar to its emission from TSU;
therefore, all duck farmers blamed TSU for the compensation responsibility, and
TSU also hired experts to bring up a report, but it was a great gap between EPA
investigations. EPA also said that TSU is only one of the causes. TSU estimated
to start work in Dec. 2005 originally, but it was forced to stop working for months
for failing to negotiate with residents and returned to work until next March.
EPA said they would supervise it strictly, and must control the dioxin emission
under average 9 ng, or they wouldn’t allow TSU to start work. At the same time,
EPA assigned Environmental Protection Agency in Changhua to bring up
improvement plan aiming at pollution problem, and to improve by EPA expenditure.
This incident ended in TSU returning to work and relevant investigation closed.
Protest & Appeal
Hsien-Hsi
duck farmers went north to call a press conference on October 15th,
2005, and asked relevant units to clarify the truth. The appeals were as
follows:
- Ask EPA to announce TSU is the source of pollution according to the research done by professor, ChunChang Li, and to assist duck farmers to claim for compensation.
- Ask to bring up compensation for duck farmers to make a living immediately according to Health Caring Scheme for China Petrochemical Cooperation An-Shun site in Tainan.
Loss of Duck farmers
100 thousand kg duck eggs, 180 thousand processed eggs, 100 thousand breed eggs and 36 thousand ducks were destroyed in this incident.
It cast duck breeding in Hsien-Hsi always under the shadow. It not only made their ducks hard to sell out, but also impacted on their duck relevant products; in the end, it caused the duck breeding to be shut down forever.
It cast duck breeding in Hsien-Hsi always under the shadow. It not only made their ducks hard to sell out, but also impacted on their duck relevant products; in the end, it caused the duck breeding to be shut down forever.
Relevant Compensation
- Council of Agriculture compensated the loss of duck farmers by giving guidance fund.
Conclusion
In
this incident, it took long time for government to investigate, and changeable
statement made duck farmers and the public confused, so people didn’t trust our
government, and just triggered the public anger. As for duck farmers, they
couldn’t make duck breeding as their occupation, and this influenced their
economy. As for Taiwan Steel Union, company’s reputation was influenced, and they
had great loss during the stoppage. Finally, all three parties have lost in
this incident, and the good reputation “Kingdom of Duck Breeding” for Hsien-Hsi has
gone forever.
Reference (Traditional Chinese Websites)
- 毒鴨蛋事件- 维基百科:http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%AF%92%E9%B4%A8%E8%9B%8B%E4%BA%8B%E4%BB%B6
- 2005回顧:彰化戴奧辛毒鴨蛋事件| 台灣環境資訊協會-環境資訊中心:http://e-info.org.tw/node/1180
- 毒蛋風暴 - 環境資訊中心:http://e-info.org.tw/column/ourisland/2005/ou05102801.htm
- YouTube - 我們的島 第326集 毒蛋風暴,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkVVDtIhsdo
Quote (Traditional Chinese Websites)
Note1: YouTube 我們的島 第326集 毒蛋風暴,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkVVDtIhsdo