The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) on Wednesday unexpectedly called off a press conference on the environmental impact of Formosa Plastic Group's Jenwu plant, which nearby residents have claimed has been leaking toxic pollutants.

The EPA said it was following the Legislative Yuan's order to delay publishing their assessment report on the factory until Thursday. The plant makes vinyl chloride monomers, an industrial chemical.

The 24-hour postponement drew heated criticisms from environmental activists and residents living in nearby Kaohsiung County who claimed the plant has been leaking pollutants such as 1,2-dcholoroethane into the surrounding soil and groundwater.

On Monday, environmental group Mercy on Earth released a report, which cites their own experts, saying the contamination has spread to nearby residential areas and farmland.

The advocacy group demands the plant cease operation at once until improvements have been made and that the Environmental Impact Assessment Committee immediately release the facts on the possible health risks.

The Kaohsiung County government and EPA were slated to release their own test results on Wednesday afternoon, but the press conference was called off 30 minutes prior to the scheduled time.

This was the EPA's second time postponing the press conference. The news conference was originally set for April 29, but the Kaohsiung County Environmental Protection Bureau said due to the large number of samples to be tested, it was impossible to meet the deadline.

In a telephone interview, EPA chief Stephen Shen said the postponement was not based on political considerations.

He said the EPA and the county government have been invited to brief the Sanitation, Environment and Social Welfare Committee on Thursday and that it would be better to release information at the same time.

The Jenwu plant began operation in 1973. In December 2003, it was discovered that the plant has been causing serious pollution to the underground water of its complex.

Managers at the plant have failed to alert the authorities or to adopt the necessary contingency measures.

The EPA has threatened to slap the conglomerate with a heavy fine - up to NT$150 million ($4.76 million), a penalty deemed inadequate by the local residents and environmental activists.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 05/13/2010 page4)