Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Inc (ASE, 日月光半導體) chairman Jason Chang (張虔生) yesterday apologized for the company’s recent wastewater pollution incident and said ASE would donate up to NT$3 billion (US$101 million) over the next 30 years to help promote environmental protection in the nation.
Chang made the remarks after staying behind the scenes for seven days since ASE was fined NT$600,000 by Greater Kaohsiung’s Environmental Protection Bureau on Tuesday last week for discharging toxic wastewater from its biggest plant, known as K7, into the Houjin River (後勁溪).
“ASE will not dodge the responsibility that it must take, nor will the company cover up any employee’s wrongdoing that deserves punishment,” Chang said at a press conference.
Photo: Chang Chung-yi, Taipei Times
Chang reiterated that the company never intended to discharge wastewater illegally, and that it stays committed to social responsibility through environment-related investment.
ASE will donate at least NT$100 million each year, beginning next year, through 2044, he said.
Chang said the company’s daily operation would not be affected, adding that the company has begun constructing a green factory in Greater Kaohsiung’s Nanzih Export Processing Zone at a cost of NT$72 billion and is planning to recruit 16,000 more workers as part of its business expansion plan.
Photo: Lin Cheng-kung, Taipei Times
In addition, ASE is set to launch its new wastewater treatment plant in Greater Kaohsiung as early as the second quarter of next year, he said.
The new wastewater treatment plant is being constructed at a cost of NT$750 million and will be capable of purifying up to 20,000 tonnes of wastewater discharged from ASE’s plants in Greater Kaohsiung, he added.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Economic Affairs yesterday said it supports Greater Kaohsiung’s Environmental Protection Bureau’s penalties for the company’s misconduct.
“In regards to the ASE water-pollution issue, the ministry supports the Environmental Protection Bureau taking the severest measures against ASE,” Minister of Economic Affairs Chang Chia-juch (張家祝) told the legislature’s Economic Committee.
Tropical Storm Usagi strengthened to a typhoon yesterday morning and remains on track to brush past southeastern Taiwan from tomorrow to Sunday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was approximately 950km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost point, the CWA said. It is expected to enter the Bashi Channel and then turn north, moving into waters southeast of Taiwan, it said. The agency said it could issue a sea warning in the early hours of today and a land warning in the afternoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was moving at
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The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said there are four weather systems in the western Pacific, with one likely to strengthen into a tropical storm and pose a threat to Taiwan. The nascent tropical storm would be named Usagi and would be the fourth storm in the western Pacific at the moment, along with Typhoon Yinxing and tropical storms Toraji and Manyi, the CWA said. It would be the first time that four tropical cyclones exist simultaneously in November, it added. Records from the meteorology agency showed that three tropical cyclones existed concurrently in January in 1968, 1991 and 1992.
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