Taipei Times
Date: Aug 23, 2016
By: Lee I-chia / Staff reporter

The Executive Yuan yesterday announced that students at Ciaotou Elementary School’s Syucuo (許厝) branch are to be transferred to Fongrong Elementary School in Lunbei Township (崙背) to avoid further exposure to pollutants from Formosa Petrochemical Corp’s naphtha cracker in Yunlin County’s Mailiao Township (麥寮).

A three-year study conducted by the National Health Research Institutes (NHRI) found that thiodiglycolic acid (TdGA) levels in the urine — an indicator of carcinogen vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) exposure — of Syucuo students were significantly higher than students in other schools.

The finding was reported to Yunlin County’s Health Bureau and the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) in June to decide whether the Syucuo branch, which is about 900m from the naphtha cracker, should be relocated.

During one of the three forums Premier Lin Chuan (林全) held with civic groups on the issue last week, National Taiwan University (NTU) public health professor Chan Chang-chuan (詹長權), who has conducted epidemiological studies near the cracker for several years, suggested that the government relocate students at the Syucuo branch to protect their health.     [FULL  STORY]