LOCATION: Vietnam
RELATIONSHIP: The Sunshine Project is operated by Formosa Group LA LLC, which is owned (via another subsidiary) by four Formosa Plastics Group companies: Formosa Petrochemical Corporation Formosa Petrochemical Corporation (57%), Formosa Chemical & Fibre Corporation, Nan Ya Plastics Corporation and Formosa Taffeta.
IMPACT ON COMMUNITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS
The Sunshine Project poses a grave threat to the health and safety of residents in St James Parish and other local communities. It will be located within an 85-mile stretch of the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge that is widely known as Cancer Alley
. In the 10-mile radius around St. James Parish there are already twelve toxic petrochemical facilities, with a cancer incidence rate
far higher than the US national average.
Based on air pollution permits sought for the Sunshine Project, it could double levels of toxic air pollution
in St. James Parish. The proposed complex could release up to 7.7 million tons
of ethylene oxide every year, as well as several other known carcinogens.
United Nations human rights experts have called for
a halt to the construction of new
petrochemicals plants in Cancer Alley, including Formosa Plasticsâ proposed Sunshine Project, stating that âthis form of environmental racism poses serious and disproportionate threats to the enjoyment of several human rights of its largely African American residents, including the right to equality and non-discrimination, the right to life, the right to health, right to an adequate standard of living and cultural rights.â
IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT AND BIODIVERSITY
The rising intensity of Louisianaâs hurricane season poses elevated risks to Formosa Plasticsâ proposed project site, which is located on a natural floodplain. Forty percent of St. James Parish is classified as âwetlandsâ, made up of marshes and swamps. In 2021, Hurricane Ida caused widespread flooding
, damaged homes and knocked out the power to more than a million Louisiana households and businesses, including across St. James Parish. It also caused numerous oil
and chemical
spills. Major flooding in St. James in 2016 caused significant damage; throughout Louisiana, 40,000 homes were destroyed and 13 people died
. Siting massive toxic petrochemical facilities in the area poses enormous public health and environmental risk, with storm-induced industrial disasters
becoming increasingly common as the impacts of climate change worsen.
IMPACT ON CLIMATE
The project would emit up to 13.6 million tons
of CO2e (greenhouse gases) per year. In combination with existing facilities, UN experts found
that this would mean the annual greenhouse gas emissions of St. James Parish (population: 19,000) could exceed those of 113 countries.
IMPACT ON GOVERNANCE
Formosa Plastics Groupâs complex network of corporations, subsidiaries, and affiliates involves circular shareÂholder relationships between and among the constituent companies, which obscures beneficial ownershipB44 and control.
RESOURCES
Information on this project was submitted by Friends of the Earth and Environmental Rights Foundation and last updated on 11/09/2025.
LOCATION: Vietnam
RELATIONSHIP: Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corporation operates the Hung Nghiep Formosa steel plant. Formosa Plastics Group is its primary owner
, with minority stakes owned by China Steel Corporation and JFE Steel Corporation.
IMPACT ON COMMUNITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS
In April 2016, a massive marine pollution disaster
along the central coast of Vietnam was traced to Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corporation (FHS), a subsidiary of Formosa Plastics Group. Thousands of fishers and small business owners lost their income sources virtually overnight.
FHS eventually accepted responsibility and paid US$500 million in compensation to the Vietnamese government, but reports
indicate that the affected communities were not adequately compensated, while authorities obstructed public protests and limited press freedom in the aftermath of the incident. With support from environmental and human rights organizations, 7,874 victimsfiled a lawsuit
in Taiwanese courts seeking compensation. The case is ongoing.
In 2024, UN human rights experts sent formal communications
to the Vietnamese government and Formosa Ha Tinh raising concerns about ongoing environmental, social, and human rights issues linked to FHS. The experts expressed alarm over alleged reprisals against activists and community members seeking redress, and noted that the lack of remedy and accountability undermines international human rights protections.
IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT AND BIODIVERSITY
Vietnamâs Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment confirmed that the pollution originated from FHSâs steel plant, which discharged untreated toxic wasteâincluding phenol, cyanide, and iron hydroxideâinto the sea. However, the payment did not resolve deeper concerns over transparency, community consultation, and long-term accountability.
The incident killed over 100 tonnes of fish, devastated the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people, and triggered one of the largest environmental protests in Vietnamâs recent history. The disaster affected four provincesâHa Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, and Thua Thien Hueâdisrupting the fishing and aquaculture industries and contaminating local ecosystems.
IMPACT ON WORKERS
At least 14 workers
were killed and around 30 were injured when scaffolding collapsed at the FHS plant in 2015. Over 260,000
workers were affected by the mass fish deaths caused by the 2016 toxic waste spill, 100,000 of whom saw their livelihoods âseriously and directly affected.â Several divers and fishers were affected by health problems resulting from the spill, one of whom died
from diving in the polluted sea water.
IMPACT ON GOVERNANCE
Formosa Plastics Groupâs complex network of corporations, subsidiaries, and affiliates involves circular shareÂholder relationships between and among the constituent companies, which obscures beneficial ownership and control.
RESOURCES
Information on this project was submitted by Friends of the Earth and Environmental Rights Foundation and last updated on 11/09/2025.
LOCATION: Vietnam
RELATIONSHIP: The Sixth Naphtha Cracker is an industrial complex fully owned by Formosa Plastics Group companies. It includes an oil refinery and naphtha cracker plant owned by Formosa Petrochemical Corporation.
IMPACT ON COMMUNITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Between 2010 and 2016, a research team from the College of Public Health at National Taiwan University (NTU), supported by local governments and the National Health Research Institutes, conducted an extensive epidemiological studyhere
of the surrounding region. The study found that residents living near the complex had elevated concentrations of heavy metalsâincluding vanadium, chromium, manganese, nickel, copper, arsenic, cadmium, thallium, and leadâin their urine, as well as chemical metabolites such as 1-hydroxypyrene (a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon marker) and thioglycolic acid (a vinyl chloride metabolite).
Ten years after the facility began operations, the cancer incidence rate among residents in the surrounding area was found to be approximately twice as high as that of residents in other regions.
Children were especially affected. The study found that elementary school students living near the complex had significantly elevated levels of thioglycolic acid (TdGA), indicating high exposure to vinyl chloride monomer (VCM)âa known carcinogen. As a result, local governments and Taiwanâs Ministry of Education initially supported relocating a nearby elementary school. However, under pressure from FPG, the National Health Research Institutes commissioned a second research team to review and ultimately overturn the NTU studyâs conclusions. Following this politically influenced reversal, the previously relocated school was ordered to return to its original site, despite the lingering health risks. The incident has drawn criticismhere
from academics and civil society for undermining scientific integrity and prioritizing corporate interests over public health.
IMPACT ON CLIMATE
The Sixth Naphtha Cracker (Mailio industrial complex) produced 24 million tons here
of greenhouse gas emissions in 2023, equivalent tohere
the emissions of 5.6 million gasoline-powered passenger vehicles driven for one year.
GOVERNANCE FAILURES
Formosa Plastics Groupâs complex network of corporations, subsidiaries, and affiliates involves circular shareÂholder relationships between and among the constituent companies, which obscures beneficial ownership and control.
RESOURCES
Information on this project was submitted by Friends of the Earth and Environmental Rights Foundation and last updated on 11/09/2025.
LOCATION: Vietnam
RELATIONSHIP: Formosa Plastics Corp USA is a privately held company that forms part of the Formosa Plastics Group. Formosa Plastics Corporation owns a significant stake in the company (22%here
).
IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT AND BIODIVERSITY
The Point Comfort complex has been regularly penalized for unpermitted water and air pollution. In 2019, Formosa Plastics Corp agreed to a US$50m settlementhere
for illegally discharging plastic pollution into Texas waterways, the largest ever reached in a citizen-brought case under the Clean Water Act. The judge labelled the company a âserial offenderâ of clean water regulations in Texas and ordered it to prevent all future discharges of plastic pellets from its Texas plant. This has not happened and, as of July 2025here
, FPC has accrued a further $32 million in fines for 823 additional violations. Citizens organizations are now calling for enhanced monitoring of the toxicity of Formosa Plasticsâ discharge into Lavaca Bay in accordance with recommendations from a study here
by the Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (HRI).
Formosa Point Comfort is the third largest source here
of vinyl chloride air pollution in the U.S., responsible for at least 105 reports of unintended vinyl chloride releases at the plant between 2010 and 2024. Its most recent violationshere
include a US$550,000 fine for air pollution in 2024. Formosa Point Comfortâs unauthorized emissions events are reportedhere
to have released a variety of pollutants, including carcinogens like benzene, ethylene oxide and 1,3-butadiene, as well as lung irritants like nitrogen oxides and other ozone-forming organic compounds.
Formosa Point Comfort is also a leading sourcehere
of other chlorinated pollutants related to the production of PVC, releasing carbon tetrachloride and chloroform at higher rates (per chlorine throughput capacity) than any other site in the US.
The Environmental Protection Agency listshere
the Formosa Point Comfort facility as a âsignificant non complierâ with provisions of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, which governs the disposal of solid and hazardous waste.
IMPACT ON CLIMATE
The Point Comfort complex emits 3.3 million tonshere
of greenhouse gas emissions per year.
IMPACT ON WORKERS
In 2021, Formosa Plastics agreed to pay US$2.85 millionhere
in federal fines for injuring its workers and endangering public health during a series of explosions, fires and toxic chemical releases at Point Comfort.
GOVERNANCE FAILURES
Formosa Plastics Groupâs complex network of corporations, subsidiaries, and affiliates involves circular shareÂholder relationships between and among the constituent companies, which obscures beneficial ownership and control.
RESOURCES
Information on this project was submitted by Friends of the Earth and Environmental Rights Foundation and last updated on 11/09/2025.
LOCATION: Vietnam
RELATIONSHIP: Formosa Taffeta owns a factory in Dong Nai province, Vietnam. It is a publicly traded company forming part of the Formosa Plastics Group. Formosa Chemical & Fibre Corporation holds a 37% stake in the company and is its largest shareholder.
IMPACT ON WORKERS
In August 2020, Norwayâs Government Pension Fund Global (GPFG), managed by Norges Bank Investment Management, announcedhere
the exclusion of Formosa Taffeta Co. Ltd. and its parent company, Formosa Chemicals & Fibre Corp., from its investment portfolio. This decision was based on findings of serious labor rights violations at Formosa Taffetaâs textile factory in Dong Nai Province, Vietnam.
The GPFGâs Council on Ethics conducted investigations into the working conditions at the Dong Nai facility and reported multiple violations of labor rights:
Excessive Overtime: Workers were found to be working overtime up to three times the legal limit.
Coerced Labor: Employees were compelled to work overtime under threat of significant wage reductions.
Wage Violations: The company failed to properly register and compensate overtime work, leading to underpayment of workers.
Occupational Hazards: The factory exhibited unsafe use of chemicals, inadequate personal protective equipment, and insufficient fire safety measures.
RESOURCES
Information on this project was submitted by Friends of the Earth and Environmental Rights Foundation and last updated on 11/09/2025.