SK hynix proudly calls itself “one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies” (SK hynix News, Feb. 2025).
https://news.skhynix.com/sk-hynix-named-as-a-2025-world-most-ethical-companies-honoree/
But in West Lafayette, Indiana, this so-called “ethical” global giant is bulldozing a small American town to force through its $3.87 billion industrial project—ignoring 3,000+ residents, environmental warnings, and its own public promise that if the community does not support it, we will not move forward.
A Record That Contradicts Its Reputation
Behind SK hynix’s glossy global image lies a troubling history:
- Worker safety and pollution incidents at its Icheon and Cheongju facilities have been documented by Korean environmental groups and international labor monitors.
- Toxic chemical use and PFAS waste from semiconductor manufacturing have already drawn scrutiny abroad. Yet here in West Lafayette, SK hynix has offered no transparency at all — residents still have no idea what chemicals will be used or discharged next to their homes, even after months of repeated public requests for answers.
- Health and groundwater risks have been downplayed here in West Lafayette—where the company plans to handle hazardous chemicals within blocks of homes, schools, and parks.
The company’s track record raises one question: What does “ethical” mean when your project endangers families, conceals environmental impacts, and hides behind local power brokers?
Local Credibility: Already Collapsing
Even city officials are beginning to distance themselves.
As reported in The Purdue Exponent (Oct. 2025), https://www.purdueexponent.org/city_state/general_news/sk-hynix-west-lafayette-leaders-doubt-repeal/article_8e3d4a42-04c4-4a8e-987c-d79b63667773.html
Mayor Erin Easter now claims the city’s hands are tied and that SK hynix’s environmental review is “out of local control.”
But residents remember: she was one of the project’s strongest advocates before May 5th despite overwhelming opposition. That’s not ethical leadership. That’s avoidance.
Councilor David Sanders—who voted no on the rezoning—confirmed that SK hynix has failed to maintain any communication or follow-up since its May approval, despite promising ongoing engagement. He stated publicly:
“They said they were going to continue to be in communication since that meeting. I haven’t heard from them once.”
A Pattern of Deception
SK hynix’s local partners—the Purdue Research Foundation (PRF) and Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC)—are both entangled in state-level audits citing non-transparency and conflicts of interest.
Now, the same institutions are pushing forward incompatible developments:
a hospital, a daycare, and a toxic heavy-industry zone all in the same corridor.
Families, patients, and children are being placed next to chemical hazards in the name of “progress.”
Our Message
An “ethical” company does not endanger its host community.
West Lafayette deserves honesty, safety, and accountability—not public relations spin and glossy cover.
What You Can Do
- Share this petition and update
- Request or display a yard sign: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc07CMjsWD05B4ZEZhloiEx7akh9tWe-imCMiw9BmDop8BqsQ/viewform
- Email the Mayor (eeaster@westlafayette.in.gov) and your City Councilors — demand transparency and reversal of the SK hynix rezone.
https://www.westlafayette.in.gov/government/boards-and-commissions/city-council - Support the legal fight: GoFundMe – Save Our Neighborhood from Industrial Threathttps://www.gofundme.com/f/save-our-neighborhood-from-industrial-threat
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—Stop Heavy Industry Team