Taiwanese authorities have detained a man suspected of illegally digging and filling pits with construction waste, which has polluted local farmland.
Taipei Times summarized the case, explaining that the man allegedly rented farmland from a couple to operate an illegal gravel excavation scheme for a profit. After excavating, the pits were then filled with construction and industrial waste to help hide what they were doing. The man and his wife are considered key figures in the case but have been released on bail. Prosecutors also allege that the trio operated on nearby state-owned plots.
The publication explained that the case has been dubbed the "Grand Canyon of Meinong," which refers to the district where the pits are located.
The massive gravel pits have since filled with foul, stagnant water, leading local residents to complain of soil, stream, and groundwater contamination. They also reported seeing dump trucks in the area.
Prosecutors estimated that around 1.3 million cubic meters of gravel were illegally removed and sold to construction firms for a profit of $300 million NT ($9.84 million USD). The trio also allegedly earned millions more by allowing construction companies to illegally dump in the pits.
In another twist to the story, one city councilor accused Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Ko Chih-en of leading a "fake exposé" of the polluted farmland in an attempt to shift blame onto the Kaohsiung City Government.
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Illegally dumped construction waste is a broader issue that threatens communities across the globe. For instance, one Sydney resident took to Reddit to complain that a pile of construction waste was illegally dumped on their lawn. One commenter mentioned that the heap probably contained asbestos, a potential health hazard.
However, a few innovative companies are also finding ways to recycle construction waste to help address the problem. For instance, one startup is using fungi to turn construction waste and old tires into a new kind of plastic. Another company is turning construction-site waste into durable new materials.
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