ed. 2026/6/11 risky, holes, stray dogs, green frogs The site is linked to the company Yu-Hong Technology (宇鴻科技), formerly known as Kun-Ye Incineration Plant (坤業焚化廠). The facility was investigated due to environmental issues and violations, which led to orders for its shutdown and subsequent cleanup measures. It has been closed since 2018, following a 2015 directive issued because of pollution in the Shenmei Pond. It is a typical example of the weak environmental awareness and negligence of government authorities in earlier years. (An earlier photo — the technical installations on the left have already been removed. https://www.chinatimes.com/realtimenews/20230131003926-260402?chdtv) Investigations by environmental agencies

It’s hard to tell what was once extracted here — sand or gravel. I saw the large machines from the highway exit, but it took me quite some time to find an entrance through an abandoned garden. The rusty conveyor belts stretch into the sky like arms, and the whole area is heavily overgrown. This would also make a great setting for a post-apocalyptic film. The excavated material that can still be seen suggests it was more likely sand. (like a Skeleton) Everything is still easily accessible; with a bit of caution, you can even climb onto the structures. The center

hazardous to health ed. 2026/2/24 Another relic from the golden age is the Lile Copper Refinery. Some buildings can still be seen from the road, but much of it has been demolished. The surrounding environment contrasts sharply with the pollution caused. The company operated at a time when environmental awareness was low. For a long time, it was the starting point for hikes to Stegosaurus Ridge and other locations. Today, the entrance is guarded, and hikers look for ways to bypass the company, partly through the Banping River estuary below. The area is now announced as a soil pollution remediation site

Dangerous (unstable, corroded) Ed. 2026/2/7 The Taiwan Cement Kaohsiung Plant is a facility of Taiwan Cement located near Shoushan in Gushan District, Kaohsiung. Its predecessor was the Kaohsiung factory of Asano Cement Co., Ltd., and it was the first modern large-scale cement plant in Taiwan. The factory began production in 1917. After World War II, in April 1946, the plant was taken over by the Cement Supervisory Committee. In May 1946, Taiwan Cement Corporation was established, and the Kaohsiung Plant became part of it. However, on November 27, 1992, the Kaohsiung Plant ceased quarrying limestone from Shoushan due to the expiration

ed. 12/2025 Very dangerous (risk of collapse, snakes), visitors not welcome This is an abandoned lumber and plywood factory in Nantou that reflects a chapter of Taiwan’s industrial history. Today, it serves as a parking lot and is partially accessible. Parking lot When walking through the vast, abandoned factory halls, it evokes the atmosphere of a post-apocalyptic saga—reminiscent of Cyborg with Jean-Claude Van Damme. The parking area is open on weekends, and some of the factory halls can be freely entered. However, visitors should be cautious—the monkeys in the area are known to be quite aggressive. They followed us, baring their

The Chiayi Tobacco Factory(嘉義菸葉廠) is located in Bao’an Village, West District, Chiayi City. It is bordered by Ziyou Road to the north, Beixing Street to the south, You’ai Road to the east, and Beian Road to the west. The complex is one of the most completely preserved tobacco factories in Taiwan and holds significant historical and cultural value. However, only some of the buildings are of high value, while others are modern additions. (earlier picture of the modern parts, warehouse 10 right side, warehouse 11 – now demolished, https://www.chiayi.gov.tw/News_Content.aspx?n=455&s=839542&utm) Construction was undertaken by Nakajima-gumi of Chiayi City, designed by Ufu Takeo,

Waste has always been a part of our industrial development and history. Here my report about a traditional business in Taiwan or a bit of end-of-the-world feeling: You see them less and less often in my community — the private garbage collectors. They are often elderly or disabled people who go around with bags or carts, collecting recyclables to sell later to recycling companies. Most often, in the evenings when the garbage truck comes, they ask residents if they can have their recyclables. Metals are especially valuable, but they also gather tin cans, some plastic bottles, and paper. They can be

Such abandoned companies sometimes offer us more insight into Taiwanese habits than it might seem—especially when we do a bit of research. Here we see a traditional company that apparently also cared about its employees. At the same time, it is an example of the kind of “cold bankruptcy” common in Taiwan—operations simply cease without formally deregistering the company. Even Professor ChatGPT was misled. This beauty is visible right from the street—as are the piles of garbage. It was a manufacturer of plastic sheets, boards, and pipes, founded in 1981. The site consists of two connected halls and an office building.