Religion goes green in Taiwan pollution battle

People offer incense at Lung Shan Temple in Taipei. The potential damage to the environment and health of devotees from staggering levels of dangerous particles in the air is leading some temples and festivals to seek alternative practices, despite resistance from worshippers. (Photo: AFP)

Smoke billows daily from temples across Taiwan as visitors burn incense and paper money to bring luck and prosperity, but that familiar fragrant haze could be a thing of the past as concerns grow over ritual pollutants.

The potential damage to the environment and to the health of devotees from staggering levels of dangerous particles in the air is leading some temples and festivals to seek alternative — if less spectacular — practices, despite resistance from worshippers.

Famous temples such as the Taoist Nan Yao in central Changhua city — one of the island’s largest and oldest temples — are playing firecracker CDs instead of launching the real thing, as well as encouraging followers to clap hands to create smoke-free noise.

The popular Taoist Hsing Tian Kong temple in the capital Taipei has banned worshippers from burning incense, requesting they simply bring their hands together to pray, instead of holding the burning sticks.

Other temples are sending paper offerings to be burned at state incinerators so the fumes can be treated.

And in New Taipei City, water lanterns that pollute the river have been replaced with a wall of lanterns outside a temple.

While the new alternatives may not be quite as atmospheric, activists say it is time for change.

“People come to temples to pray for good health, but the way they are worshipping is not healthy,” said Yeh Guang-perng, founder of the environmental group Air Clean for Taiwan.

“They might not get sick right away, but long-term exposure would be harmful to their health.”

Taoism and Buddhism are the predominant faiths in Taiwan, each with millions of followers and with worship centring around temples and festival events.

During a nine-day pilgrimage last month in central Taiwan honouring the Taoist sea-goddess Mazu government monitoring revealed levels of harmful microscopic PM2.5 particles reached more than 60 times the World Health Organisation’s recommended levels along the route after multiple firecrackers were set off.

Environmental groups have also warned over hazardous chemicals, such as benzene and methylbenzene, released from burning incense and paper money.

But some devotees are reluctant to let go.

“The traditional belief is that the more firecrackers and incense used, the sincerer the faithful will appear and the more good fortune will be bestowed on them,” said Chiu Jainn-fuh, director of Nan Yao Temple.