Councilor Expresses Concern Over Rat Poison in Parks Being Accidentally Ingested; Taipei Environmental Protection Bureau Conducts Inspections and Improvements
Taipei City Councilor Lin Liang-Chun raised concerns about rat poison being placed in linear parks, fearing accidental ingestion by children and pets. The Environmental Protection Bureau stated it cannot confirm who placed the poison but has collaborated with managing authorities for inspections and improvements, and will continue rodent eradication efforts.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 1, 2026 at 14:53
- 🔍 Collected: May 1, 2026 at 15:01 (8 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 1, 2026 at 16:24 (1h 22m after Collected)
Central News Agency (CNA) correspondent Chen Yu-Ting, Liu Chien-Pang, Taipei, May 1st - Taipei City Councilor Lin Liang-Chun of the Democratic Progressive Party stated that rat poison was found in a linear park, raising concerns about accidental ingestion by children and pets. The Environmental Protection Bureau said it cannot confirm who placed the poison but has joined with competent authorities to inspect the site and make improvements, and will continue to promote rodent eradication operations.
A netizen posted a video on the social media platform Threads, showing over a dozen rats unafraid of people when passing by Shuanglian Market during the day.
Lin Liang-Chun posted photos on Facebook, stating that the Taipei City Government has placed rat poison near the linear park between MRT Shuanglian Station and Zhongshan Station. However, this is one of Taipei's busiest areas, and many children and pets will be walking there during the Labor Day holiday, raising concerns about accidental contact or ingestion.
She said that the Taipei City Government has already used 6,462 kilograms of rat poison and urgently procured another 4,750 kilograms. She questioned, "Taipei is full of rats. Is Mayor Chiang Wan-an's solution just to have rat poison everywhere?"
Lin Chih-Fang, Section Chief of the Water Quality and Vector Control Section of the Taipei City Environmental Protection Bureau, told the CNA today that the rodenticides used by the Environmental Protection Bureau are environmentally approved by the Ministry of Environment and contain bittering agents. Humans or pets who accidentally ingest them usually vomit and stop eating them, while rats have a lower ability to recognize bitter tastes and thus consume a lethal dose.
He said that while it is impossible to determine whether the drugs in the photos were placed by the government or private individuals, they have teamed up with competent authorities to inspect the site to prevent accidental ingestion by other animals, and have formulated a common prevention strategy. In the future, personnel will be dispatched irregularly to strengthen environmental maintenance in surrounding areas, and cleaning teams in each district will continue to implement neighborhood disinfection and environmental improvement.
Regarding the amount of bait used, Lin Chih-Fang stated that in the past, the Environmental Protection Bureau used about 10,000 kilograms of rodenticides annually. This year, due to increased public concern and demand, about 6,000 kilograms have already been distributed and used. Various city departments are also simultaneously strengthening environmental management in their respective jurisdictions.
Lin Chih-Fang said that after a city-wide cross-departmental rodent eradication effort in February, the number of reported rat carcasses in March increased compared to February, indicating that the prevention efforts have achieved phased results. Subsequent reports of rodent complaints have gradually decreased, and he thanked the public for their cooperation and assistance in reporting.
The Environmental Protection Bureau stated that rodent control cannot be achieved solely through disinfection and baiting. It also relies on the public to jointly implement the principles of "don't let rats eat, don't let rats come, don't let rats live" to achieve long-term fundamental prevention, reduce rodent density in public areas, and mitigate the risk of rodent-borne disease transmission. (Editor: Lee Ming-Chung) 1150501
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A netizen posted a video on the social media platform Threads, showing over a dozen rats unafraid of people when passing by Shuanglian Market during the day.
Lin Liang-Chun posted photos on Facebook, stating that the Taipei City Government has placed rat poison near the linear park between MRT Shuanglian Station and Zhongshan Station. However, this is one of Taipei's busiest areas, and many children and pets will be walking there during the Labor Day holiday, raising concerns about accidental contact or ingestion.
She said that the Taipei City Government has already used 6,462 kilograms of rat poison and urgently procured another 4,750 kilograms. She questioned, "Taipei is full of rats. Is Mayor Chiang Wan-an's solution just to have rat poison everywhere?"
Lin Chih-Fang, Section Chief of the Water Quality and Vector Control Section of the Taipei City Environmental Protection Bureau, told the CNA today that the rodenticides used by the Environmental Protection Bureau are environmentally approved by the Ministry of Environment and contain bittering agents. Humans or pets who accidentally ingest them usually vomit and stop eating them, while rats have a lower ability to recognize bitter tastes and thus consume a lethal dose.
He said that while it is impossible to determine whether the drugs in the photos were placed by the government or private individuals, they have teamed up with competent authorities to inspect the site to prevent accidental ingestion by other animals, and have formulated a common prevention strategy. In the future, personnel will be dispatched irregularly to strengthen environmental maintenance in surrounding areas, and cleaning teams in each district will continue to implement neighborhood disinfection and environmental improvement.
Regarding the amount of bait used, Lin Chih-Fang stated that in the past, the Environmental Protection Bureau used about 10,000 kilograms of rodenticides annually. This year, due to increased public concern and demand, about 6,000 kilograms have already been distributed and used. Various city departments are also simultaneously strengthening environmental management in their respective jurisdictions.
Lin Chih-Fang said that after a city-wide cross-departmental rodent eradication effort in February, the number of reported rat carcasses in March increased compared to February, indicating that the prevention efforts have achieved phased results. Subsequent reports of rodent complaints have gradually decreased, and he thanked the public for their cooperation and assistance in reporting.
The Environmental Protection Bureau stated that rodent control cannot be achieved solely through disinfection and baiting. It also relies on the public to jointly implement the principles of "don't let rats eat, don't let rats come, don't let rats live" to achieve long-term fundamental prevention, reduce rodent density in public areas, and mitigate the risk of rodent-borne disease transmission. (Editor: Lee Ming-Chung) 1150501
Stand with facts, every sponsorship you provide is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the CNA "Firsthand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.