An article in the Taipei Times titled Naphtha cracker is driving away dolphins: Study on 27 December 2011 reveals nothing we don't already know. The article stated "The meeting was to review a project investigating the ecology of an endangered dolphin species that was commissioned by Formosa Plastics Group. Environmentalists have long questioned whether the Formosa Petrochemical’s Sixth Naphtha Cracker plant in Mailiao might cause harm to dolphins in the nearby area." So-called environmentalists [Ah, I hate the way the TT loves to brand anyone who happens to show any concern for what is happening to our planet as an 'environmentalist. It's so belittling, condescending and demeaning and makes it sound like we're some strange crazed revolutionaries.], which include some of the greatest cetacean experts on the planet have long pointed out that the FP plant at Mailiao is causing problems for the dolphins. Pollution was one of the five major threats to the dolphins identified in 2007!
All that can be concluded from this "study" is that things are so bad that the researchers that are accepting funds and grants from Formosa Plastics can no longer hide from the fact that their benefactor is amongst the foremost of reasons that the Taiwan pink dolphin is on the very brink of extinction.
It's time these experts stopped keeping their data "classified" and made it public as well as publish some real peer-reviewed work instead of clouding the waters of a very clear-cut issue; Formosa Plastics and other such corporations are harming the dolphins and us humans with their pollution.
Update: See Misguided Talk of “Hotspots” Threatens Taiwan’s Humpback Dolphins for more comment on these so-called studies.
