後勁溪的悲鳴
文•圖 傅志男
後勁溪畔，傳來人民群起激憤的吶喊聲：「無良日月光、還我後勁溪」「無良日月光∼∼∼」---。去年底，後勁溪爆發了嚴重的污染事件--日月光偷排毒鎳廢水，鎳含量超過國家管制標準的4倍，濃度比去年11月後勁溪水平均鎳的濃度高達1000倍，讓後勁溪再度躍上媒體的熱門版面。後勁溪流域週邊的土地萬物，和人民生命和財產都受到嚴重的侵害。
後勁溪是原高雄市最北的主要溪流，下游注入大潟湖，海灣就稱為「灣中港」（即今援中港）、「萬丹港」。人類的發展無法離開水源，所以自古以來，這條溪流就是原北高雄地區最重要的水源，當然也擁有最豐富的水域、濕地的生態體系。而且因為下游水質清澈、美麗，清朝詩人卓肇昌的萬丹港曲詩句：「秋深海淨明，丹港盡成碧」、「萬丹港上白沙洲，一片湘波望欲浮」，都是描述後勁溪下游的美景。日本統治時期，右昌名人楊清溪，還以「清溪」命名。後勁溪發源於仁武、大社的觀音山。最主要支流--獅龍溪流至八卦寮與曹公新圳匯流，流經台塑仁武廠後，稱為後勁溪。另一支流是楠梓溪，發源於大社觀音山區西麓，於高雄都會公園匯入後勁溪。
仁武、大社、楠梓、左營、橋頭和梓官等區的發展，仰賴的母親之河即後勁溪。此流域的產業原以農（漁）業為主，伴隨國家產業發展的政策走向，從1960年代開始的「客廳即工廠」現象，到1973年，時任行院長的蔣經國先生提出十大建設，其中的煉鋼廠、造船廠、石油化學工業等都選擇在高雄落腳。而石化業中，除了林園石化工業區（中油三輕、四輕廠）外，中國石油公司高雄煉油總廠、仁大石化工業區（仁武工業區、大社工業區）皆位於後勁溪旁；加上1972年台塑公司仁武廠開始生產PVC，石化業已經滿佈於此區。石化工業的發展雖然提供許多就業機會，但因為政府部門的放任，加上企業為節省成本（等於賺更多錢）而將有毒的氣體和廢水恣意排放，廢氣污染了天空，廢水也幾乎殺死了後勁溪，當然還有更可怕、人民看不見的地下水和土壤的污染。
幾十年來，後勁溪被污染的事件實在罄竹難書，筆者只選擇幾次重要事件做說明。首先是舉中油高雄煉油總廠為例，早年環保法規不受重視的一輕和二輕污染不在話下，而政府為了石化業增產，於1987年宣布要興建五輕，引起後勁居民的不滿而成立「反五輕自救會」。其間，1983年5月一戶民宅點蚊香竟引發油氣爆炸；1998年8月15日位於中油東門的「金屬工業研究發展中心」的研究員在宿舍點煙，卻引起氣爆而全身嚴重灼傷；1988年7月29日在後勁稔田里抽出的地下水不只顏色黝黑、點火還會燃燒。後勁居民忍無可忍、在中油西門紮營、埋鍋造飯，發起台灣環保運動史上偉大的「後勁反五輕運動」，歷時三年多，期間如清華大學等多所大學學生組成工作隊聲援、並投入反五輕運動。1990年5月，在政府的同意下舉行針對五輕設廠的還沒有「公民投票法」前的首次「公民投票」，結果雖然是「堅決反對」占60.8％、「同意協商」只占39.2％，但結果並未對政策造成任何影響。當年的9月，時任行政院長的郝柏村先生在優勢的警力戒護下夜宿後勁，隨後宣佈五輕開工，但承諾15億元的會基金和25年的遷廠條件。反五輕運動被壓制式微後，轉而發起要求政府信守25年遷廠的承諾。
夕陽工業，該日落西山了----
五輕設立後，石化廠有沒有隨著科技的進步而減少污染物的排放和公安事件呢？當然沒有！！！2002年爆發P37油槽約28000公秉的嚴重漏油事件，發生後幾年間廠方無積極作為善加處理，而造成該地區土壤和地下水遭受嚴重污染。地下水則四處流竄，廠區外的後勁地區當然也連帶遭殃。一直到今天，我們在污染場址的籬笆外，緊鄰的農田裡，仍看得到各式農作物，但抽出的地下水雖是透明，卻臭氣沖天（石化惡臭）。但中油和環保單位並未對被污染的農田作賠償，農民無奈的表示：「叫我們不可耕種，我們要怎麼生活？」所以，日復一日、年復一年，這塊土地仍繼續耕作中∼∼。其實，五輕廠區384公頃土地也全數列入污染場址。2007年7月29日的半年內連續發生三次大火，引發嚴重的工安和污染事件，2012年、2013年還是繼續發生三次氣爆和大火的事件。
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中油五輕，籬笆內是污染廠址，大家來看看緊鄰農田的作物。 |
從台塑仁武廠流過的後勁溪 |
第二例：台塑仁武廠設廠後，專門生產PVC塑膠和氟氯碳冷媒，現今PVC產量是全球最大。污染事件從氯氣外洩造成八卦居民中毒、農田污染開始，未取得建照就擅自擴建氟氯碳廠，到1998年將約3000噸的汞污泥運到柬埔寨造成許多工人和當地居民生病、死亡，而遭受國際譴責、運回高雄處理。2002年爆發屏東赤山巖遭偷埋汞污泥8,238公噸，負責運送的運泰公司承認運自台塑公司，但政府求償敗訴，最終還花人民納稅錢1.5億元委託台塑仁武廠處理，這真是個吃人的世界。
而除了空汙、有毒事業廢棄物的問題外，台塑污染後勁溪也顯得不遺餘力。長期關心和檢測後勁溪水質的海科大教授林啟燦老師（學校緊鄰後勁溪），2000年發現後勁溪經過台塑仁武廠後，就遭受含氯有機化合物污染，經與台塑高層懇談後，溪水中污染物濃度隨即大幅下降。2006年水污染又大幅上升，2007年3月和高雄市教師會生態教育中心召開記者會，並擔心下游的農田以後勁溪水灌溉會受毒水污染，會後污染物濃度再度下降。顯見，污染是可以受控制的，但為了利益，廠方選擇獲利而非正義。2007年7月以後，含氯有機化合物濃度開始飆高至以前高度污染的5倍，且數年居高不下。為何如此？原來問題出在法規，對於工業排放廢水進河川，政府制定了排放水標準，但是，石化業排放的含氯有機化合物、科學園區所排放的急毒性化學物質都不在排放水標準的管制項目內。也就是說，工廠排放符合標準的放流水也可能是含有劇毒的水。
PVC無疑是對人類健康和環境最毒的塑膠，其他的塑膠都不會含有或釋出那麼多的有毒物質，包括世紀之毒「戴奧辛」、二氯乙烷、雙酚A、鉛、鎘---等。從生產原料、製作成品需添加許多塑化劑和重金屬、消費者使用與廢棄，PVC的整個生命週期都會對人和環境嚴重危害。2009年底，環保署證實台塑仁武廠的土壤和地下水遭受十多種含氯有機化合物污染，其中，1,2-二氯乙烷超標竟達到不可思議的30萬2000倍，世界第一！而2009這一年，國際組織「德國倫理既經濟基金會(ethecon)」頒發年度「黑星球獎」給台塑集團管理負責人與所有人王氏家族，「黑星球獎」即該年度被評選毒害地球環境的標竿。但我們的國家社會卻給以王永慶是經營之神---等美好偉大的稱號。
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後勁溪旁的農地，到處可見農田和工廠交錯，灌溉水的安全令人擔憂。 |
後勁溪畔（在援中港圳取水口），人民的抗議！ |
總統府前，全國反對石化業擴張遊行。 |
最後的例子談日月光污染事件，位於楠梓加工區的日月光K7廠偷排廢水被查獲。這次的事件，日月光說法是「異常」現象，但環保局說依據水汙法，機器故障需在三小時內通報環保局、並做緊急處置。但日月光不只未通報，還繼續排放污水，甚至被發現在廢水採樣槽加入自來水，意圖稀釋廢水濃度、欺騙環保人員，且廠方的監測數據也被發現造假，故處以停工的嚴重處分。而其實日月光本就是累犯，光2011∼2012年就被裁罰六次的紀錄。另其K5、K7、K11三廠在未經許可即私設海放管，引發更大的震撼，梓官漁民向日月光和加工出口區抗議，要求撤除暗管、還他們一個乾淨的海洋。
至於停工處分，日月光一再強調不是故意的，希望不要停工。然而，如果私設暗管和多次偷排廢水不算「蓄意」、那什麼才是蓄意！民間為何支持停工的處分？因為，這些嚴重的污染事件，依照水汙法最高只能裁罰60萬元，對於一個年收超過數千億的企業根本無關痛癢，一定要停工，企業才會反省。至於日月光員工的權益，犯錯者是管理階層、而非景氣或員工的責任，依法薪水必須照給。電資工會和大高雄總工會也指出，日月光不只是污染環境的企業，也是血汗工廠，平均薪資低、景氣不好就放無薪假、景氣好就連續不能休假、縮減正職人員大量晉用派遣勞工---等。
綜觀以上，後勁溪從觀音山流入平原後，除家庭廢水、農地旁林立的小工廠廢水外，中游進入台塑仁武廠、仁武工業區、大社工業區、中油五輕廠、西青埔垃圾場（今高雄都會公園）、楠梓加工出口區後，下游有「仕隆圳」和「援中港圳」取水口，灌溉橋頭、燕巢共1390公頃的農地，最後經過梓官養殖漁區，從援中港出海。短短20多公里的後勁溪，承受了那麼多「生命不可承受之輕」（輕油裂解）。
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很難想像，竟有寺廟的LED燈訊息竟是：高雄煉油廠遷廠訊息，可見後勁地區民眾的堅持。 |
近來每年都會舉辦的後勁監督五輕廠遷廠的團結大會，圖片可見五輕廠緊鄰後勁民宅 |
數十年來，工業喝好水，農業喝毒水，誰該負責？未來如何做才能遏止污染、還給我們乾淨的土地和河流呢？首先，應該做好國土規劃、產業政策，石化業是夕陽工業，高耗能、高耗水和高污染這三高都是人們和土地無法承受之重！石化業會賺那麼多錢，大都以犧牲環境換取的黑色GDP，企業主把該處理的污染成本外部化，承擔的卻是無辜的人民和大地萬物。其次，應修改落後的工業排放水標準，把所有會污染的物質都應納入管理。再則，嚴修「水汙法」，除了罰款太低外，若是蓄意偷排污水，應讓污染者負起更大的責任，例如：污染行為已經構成犯罪，排放致癌物質如同慢性殺人；污染造成農漁業的損失賠償等，還有社會服務、環境教育等，水汙法都該列入。另，由於地球公民基金會等數個環保團體的努力，去年11月22日立法院終於通過三讀的「毒性化學物質管理法」修正案，希望未來政府落實去嚴格監督和查緝企業的不法行徑。
關於後勁溪未來的願景是何種樣貌，後勁居民對於五輕遷廠的想像可作為參考。後勁社會福利基金會、地球公民基金會、高雄後勁中油遷廠促進會、煉油廠轉型生態公園促進會等，推動台灣首次由民間舉辦的「環境復育+產業轉型 後勁生態公園全國競圖比賽」，首獎高達15萬元，殷切期望187公頃的受污染土地能轉型為具環境復育與教育意義的生態公園。也許未來變化無可預測，但人民對於自己生活的土地有何想法，如何才能讓大家更幸福的生活，需要大家一起來努力。
或許，我們該重新思考，上帝賜給高雄一條蜿蜒於平原中的河流，我們該回報的，是永續且良善的循環，還是貪婪而無情的掠奪！當然，在高雄，擁有乾淨的水源，原本很難；希望孩子能「大口呼吸、快樂成長」的心願也很卑微。但相信在大家的努力下，有一天，高雄人也會和其他地方一樣，擁有乾淨空氣可以呼吸、喝到乾淨的水。這些基本的人權，我們要拿回來！
英譯稿
The Mourning of Houjing River
Shouts like “Unconscionable company”“We want a clean river.” were heard here and there by the river bank of Houjing. Near the end of 2013, severe pollution—nickel contaminated wasted water was discharged in the Houjing River.The nickel content exceeded the national regulation by 4 times. The average concentration of nickel in the river was 1000 times higher than that of November, 2012. TheHoujingRiver was headline newsagain. People and their assets, the soils and other lives by the river were dangerously threatened.
The Houjing River is a major river of Kaohsiung City which runs into a big lagoon called YunachunKan. We knew that Human society development cannot live without water resources. Since ancient times, this river has been the most important one in Kaohsiung area along with her fertile waters and wetlands.Because of cleanness, many poems were writtento dedicate to her beautiful scenery.During Japanese ruling era, local well-known celebrity Qingxi, Young named the river after his name which means a clean river. The river originated from Mt.Quanyin. The main branch, Shilong creek flowed to Bakwaliao which joined New Tsaokung Canaland was then named the Houjing River. Another branch which originated from the west side of Mt. Quanyin merged into Houjing River in Kaohsiung Metropolitan Park.
The development of Renwu,Dashe, Nanzi, Zuoying, Qiaotou, ZiguanDists. relied on the mother river—Houjing River. These areas originally lived on agriculture and fishery. Changing with the trends of national industry movement, the industrial focus wasshifted from handcraft to national scale heavy industries. Amongthe Ten Major Construction Projects proposed in 1973 by former Minister of Executive Yuan, Chiang Ching-kuo, the steel refineries, the Massive Ship Building Plants, thePetrochemical IndustryPlants chose to locate in Kaohsiung. Many of the petrochemical plants were set by theHoujing River. Numerous job offers may thereforebe available. Nevertheless, the Houjing River, in some ways was sentenced to death due to the lack of government control, illegally discharged wasted water, polluted air and the most dreadful but unseen ground water and soils pollution.
For the past decades, the pollution of theHoujing River was too numerous to record.Taking CPC Kaohsiung refinery for example, the government aimed to increase petrochemical industryproduction, the Fifth Naphtha Cracking Plant was announced to be built in 1987. Without any question, protests flooded. The citizens in Houjing formed the “Anti-5th Naphtha Cracking Plant committee.”In May, 1983, a gas explosion took place in some house just because of lighting mosquito coil incense. In 1998, an employee of Metal Industries Research and Develop Center got severely burnt while he was lighting up cigarette in his dormitory. In 1988, the extracted ground water was not only black but also flammable. The people could not tolerate any longer and launched a great protest, Houjing Anti-5th Naphtha Cracking Protest which had lasted for more than 3 years.The government had held a referendum before the law was officially practiced. The results did not change the determination of the government tobuild the plant. In September that year, the construction of the plant started under the strong cover of police force following the direction from the Minister of Executive Yuan in exchange with the compromise of 15hundred million NT dollars committee found and 25 years of operation.The protest diminished gradually because of governmental oppression. The citizen then shifted to the other focus, the 25-year-operation promise by the government.
SunsettingIndustries,send it into history, shall we?
After the establishment of the 5thNaphtha CrackingPlant, did the petrochemical industries keep the pace with the advancement of technology and reduce the emission of pollutant or increase occupational safety and health? Of course not!In 2002, there were 28000 kls leaking from P37 oil tank. However, there was no positive action taken to deal with the problem. The soils and ground water wereseverely polluted.The ground water flew everywhere under including Houjing area. Until today, we saw various kinds of crops harvest nearby the fence of the polluted plant. The extracted ground water was transparent but with a foul smell.But, CPC Cooperation and the government did compensate forthe farmers’ loss.They cried out in vain, “How can we live on these fields?” Day after day, year after year, the polluted fields were still cultivated. In fact, the 384 ares of land was on the list of polluted fields. And we had witnessed conflagration and gas explosions for more than 3times, let alone the occupation safety and pollution issues.
Formosa Plastic GroupRenwu Plant was built to product PVC plastics and chlorofluorocarbon. It is now the largest PVC plant in the world. The pollution started from the following incidents like chlorine leaking, fields pollution, expanding the plant without construction permit, exporting mercury contaminated soils to Cambodia.In 2002, 8.238 tons of mercury wasted mud was buried in Pintung. The transporting company admitted the soils were from FPG. But the law action was not successful. The compensation lawsuit was rejected. And it cost tax payers around 1.5 hundred million NTD to assign the FPG Renwu to handle the situation. What a freaking world!
In addition to air pollution and industrial wastes, FPG made their best polluting the Hojing River. Prof. Lin of National Kaohsiung Marine University who has been concerning about the Houjing River discovered that the water flowing byFPG Renwu plant was organ chloride polluted. After counseling with the higher-ranking officers in FPG, the density lowered dramatically. However, the situation went worse in 2006. Again, the densitywent down after a press conference held by the Kaohsiung Teachers’ Ecological Education Center. Obviously, the contamination can be controlled. But, for the benefits and interests of the company, they chose to ignore environmental justice. After July,2007, the density of organ chloride was 5 times higher than before and the indices soaring. The solution to the problem may be the law enforcement.The government set the waste water dischargingcriteria. Contradictorily, the organ chloride water from petrochemical and the acutely toxic substances from science parks were not on the list of water dischargingcontrol.In other words, the water discharged from plants can measure up the criteriabut extremely toxicant.
PVC undoubtedly is the most toxicant plastic to human health and environment. Other kinds of plastics do not release numerous poisonous substances such as dioxin, dichloromethane, bisphenolA, lead, cadmium.The whole producing cycle can be serious detrimental to human bodies and environment. In 2009, the Environmental Protection Administration proved the soils and ground water of FPG Renwuwere polluted by organ chloride.Among the toxic substances, dichloromethane dischargeexceeded the standardincredibly by 302 thousand times which was the top of that year. In 2009 the Ethecon Foundation awarded the Black Planet Award to FPG and its CEO as well as owners, the Wang’s. Ironically, our country gave the founder of FPG a well-known title the god of management.
The latest example was Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc. incident whosepipe drainage was founded. The incident was claimed to be an exceptional one. But theEnvironmental Protection Bureau stated, according to theWater Pollution Control Act, devices failure should be reported within 3 hours and employed emergent action. ASE did not follow the rules.Instead, they continued discharging polluted water. ASE was founded adding fresh water to the wasted water sampling tank to dilute the wasted water and cheat the EPB staff. The surveillance data was also counterfeited. As a result, ASE was punished by stopping operation. To be frankly, they are not new to this.From 2011 to 12, ASE was fined at least 6 times. Besides, the news that K5, K7, K11 plant used illegal pipe drainage astonished the whole society following by Ziguan fishermen’s protest.
ASE emphasized that they did not do it on purpose and hoped to lift the punishment. Howcan this not be called as a purposeful action?On the other hand, why the punishment was considered acceptable by the public opinion?According to the Water Pollution Control Act, the maximum penalty of these serious incidents only reaches up to 6 hundred million NTDs. For a great enterprise like ASE, the fine was nothing. The ultimate legal action, operation suspension meantthe justiceto be served. Only by doing so, can the company reflect on what they have done.As for the employees, the company should pay them as usual according to the contracts. The mistake was made by the management administration who should bear the responsibility. The working union also indicated that ASE is a “sweat factory” with low average salary, unpaid leave, lot outsourcing-workers.
The Houjing River flows to the plain area from Mt. Quanyin. Through FPG Renwu plant, RenwuIndustrial Park, Dashe Industrial Park, the 5thNaphtha Cracking Plant,
Metropolitan Prak, Nanzi Exporting Industrial Park, with 2 acequia in down stream waters more than 1390 ares of fields. Finally, the river passes Ziguan aquaculture areas to the sea. Short in distance, however, the Houjing River bears the unbearable
light.
For decades, the good water went to the industries, while bad to the agriculture. Who should be responsible? How can we stop the pollution and regain clean water and fields? Firstly, we should make good policies on territories and industries. The petrochemical industries are sunsettingindustries which are high energy and water consuming, high pollutant. They take the advantage of the environment to earn the black GDP and make their own profits. Secondly, we should enforce stricterWater Pollution Control Act. Thirdly, Toxic Chemical Substances Control Act should be practiced more strictly.
What will the Houjing River turn out to be? The imaginary of Houjing River without the 5thNaphtha Cracking Plant can be taken as a reference. Houjing Social Welfare Foundation, Citizen of Earth and other foundation held the Houjing Biological Park Designing Competition. They anticipate earnestly that these polluted fields can be transformed into an environmental protection and educational eco-park. Maybe, the future is unpredictable. Still, it takes everyone’s effort to bring us happiness.
Maybe, we should think it over. God granted us a winding river in the plain. We should return with everlasting and virtuous circle, or greedy and mercilessly robbing. It cannot be denied that it’s hard to obtain clean water resources in Kaohsiung, let alone to breathe deeplyand grow up happily. But with our endeavors, we will be able to breathe fresh air and drink clean water. We will regain our basic human rights.
