TAIPEI, TAIWAN: Formosa Plastics Corporation will likely suspend output at its vinyl chloride monomer plant at the Mailiao petrochemical complex in central Taiwan from the middle of next week, instead of Friday as originally planned, as the company needs more time to prepare paperwork explaining a fire that broke out at the complex in mid-May, a local government official said Thursday.
Formosa Plastics will be required to submit a second report to address safety issues, including realigning power cables and checking backup power generators, Lai Tung-hong, a department chief at the Environmental Protection Bureau of the Yunlin county government, told the newswires Thursday.
He said if trial runs proceed without problem, the facility will be able to restart in as soon as a month. Formosa Plastics couldn't be reached for comment.
The Yunlin county government late last month ordered Formosa Plastics to shut down the VCM plant, saying the plant violated air pollution limits after a May 12 fire, and is subject to a fine up to NT$ 2 million.
The local government also asked Nan Ya Plastics to shut down its 50-hectare Haifeng factory compound from June 1 until the complex passes the safety inspections.
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