Taiwan's Formosa wins appeal on plant conditions

Taiwan's leading conglomerate Formosa Plastics said Friday it won an appeal against strict environmental conditions the government imposed on the building of a $180 million petrochemical plant.

Formosa turned to the cabinet appeals committee this year after the Environmental Protection Administration put in place the rules over certain types of emissions at the plant in Yunlin county, western Taiwan.

The project, part of an expansion of a vast petrochemical manufacturing complex run by the group, is a joint venture with US-based Kraton Performance Polymers to produce high-end rubber goods, it said.

Formosa Petrochemical chairman Chen Bao-lang told reporters that the company hopes to begin construction on the new plant next year with operations set for 2014.

Formosa Plastics is one of Taiwan's largest industrial conglomerates with investments in plastics, petrochemicals, semiconductors and bio-medical products.

Taiwan has toughened reviews on petrochemical investment following calls from environmentalists that the island, long plagued by industrial pollution, can no longer afford such large energy-guzzling endeavours.

Last year, the government slammed the brakes on a controversial $20 billion project by Kuokuang Petrochemical Technology to build a refinery and 20 related plants because of environmental concerns.

(c) 2012 AFP