Strikers are seeking justice for victims of a 2016 toxic spill in Vietnam, caused by the Taiwan-based company.
Sarah Sneath reports for DeSmog.
In short:
- A global hunger strike organized by the International Monitor Formosa Alliance (IMFA) launched this week to protest Taiwan-based Formosa Plastics' environmental damage and human rights abuses.
- The strikers seek compensation for victims of a toxic spill in Vietnam, environmental restoration and the release of jailed protestors.
- Diane Wilson, a Texan environmental activist and IMFA co-founder, joined the strike, highlighting similar struggles faced by local fishers due to Formosa's pollution.
- Formosa acknowledges awareness of the strike but distances its U.S. branch from the 2016 Vietnam incident.
Key quote:
“The company issued a public apology and paid $500 million to the Vietnamese government. But thousands of victims never received compensation."
— Nancy Bui, founder of Justice for Formosa Victims and co-founder of IMFA
The big picture:
The chemical spill from Formosa's Vietnam facility has been linked to a cascade of health concerns, ranging from acute poisoning to long-term environmental health hazards.
Follow EHN's coverage of Formosa Plastics' proposed complex in Louisiana and the broader petrochemical industry buildout in the U.S.
