Foxconn has received permission from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to drain up to 7 million gallons of water from Lake Michigan — one of the five Great Lakes of North America — every day, for use in its production of LCD screens.
A proportion of the water will be returned to the lake, though environmentalists are concerned that it will be contaminated with particles of metal during panel production, alongside fears that the decision sets a worrying precedent, allowing the use of fresh water for commercial purposes, rather than human consumption.
Analyst Comment
David Hsieh of IHS Markit pointed out the heavy resources needed for LCD making as a potential barrier to moving LCD making in the US at the time that the Foxconn plan was announced. (BR)
