Councilors demand stronger market rat control; Taipei City Department of Economic Development: Already cleaned and will continue to reinforce
Taipei City Council members are demanding stronger rat control measures in markets. The Taipei City Department of Economic Development stated that cleaning and disinfection have been carried out since January-February and will continue to be reinforced.
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- 📰 Published: May 5, 2026 at 15:26
- 🔍 Collected: May 5, 2026 at 15:32 (5 min after Published)
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Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Liu Chien-pang, Taipei, 5th) Taipei City has recently received frequent public feedback regarding rats appearing on the streets, and the issue of rat poison has also drawn concern. Councilors are concerned about rat control measures in wholesale and traditional markets. Chen Chun-an, Director of the Department of Economic Development, said today that cleaning and disinfection have been carried out in markets and other places from January to February, and reinforcement and rolling reviews will continue.
The Taipei City Council Finance and Construction Committee held a meeting this morning, with the Department of Economic Development and its affiliated units attending to report. DPP Councilor Ho Meng-hua questioned the recent rat infestation issue in Taipei, which has drawn public concern. As the Market Administration Office manages places including wholesale markets, she asked whether the four production and marketing companies had implemented relevant rat control measures.
The Taipei Agricultural Products Marketing Co. stated that environmental cleaning and disinfection work for wholesale markets was outsourced in April and is currently ongoing. Subsequently, traps, glue boards, and bait will be set for prevention and control. The Taipei Fish Market Co. responded that pest control for rats and cockroaches is carried out twice a month.
The Taipei Livestock Products Marketing Co. stated that it has cooperated with environmental companies to carry out prevention and control operations in wholesale markets, and relevant medicines are regularly replaced. The Taipei Flower Market Co. responded that rat extermination is carried out every month.
DPP Taipei City Councilor Hung Chien-yi also raised the issue of rat control in the committee meeting. He said that the Taipei City Government manages places including wholesale markets and traditional markets, and these locations often have food, which may lead to more rats.
He stated that he previously smelled a foul odor like a corpse in a certain market and asked the Market Administration Office to investigate, only to find a dead rat lying in the ventilation opening. He believes that using poison to eliminate rats may be a temporary solution, and the city government should keep track of where rats die after poisoning, so that foul odors do not permeate the market.
Chen Chun-an, Director of the Taipei City Department of Economic Development, responded that he would follow the councilor's suggestions and keep track of the follow-up. He also said that from January to February this year, a pest control company was commissioned to carry out cleaning and disinfection in public markets and other places, and rat poison was placed inside boxes with warning labels on the outside.
Chen Chun-an said that in the future, they will investigate whether there are rat holes at the junction of relevant buildings and the outside world. If so, they will reinforce them and add locks and covers to market garbage storage stations and garbage bins. Relevant prevention and control measures will continue to be reviewed on a rolling basis, and new prevention methods will be proposed to assist vendors. (Editor: Chen Jen-hua) 1150505
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(Central News Agency reporter Liu Chien-pang, Taipei, 5th) Taipei City has recently received frequent public feedback regarding rats appearing on the streets, and the issue of rat poison has also drawn concern. Councilors are concerned about rat control measures in wholesale and traditional markets. Chen Chun-an, Director of the Department of Economic Development, said today that cleaning and disinfection have been carried out in markets and other places from January to February, and reinforcement and rolling reviews will continue.
The Taipei City Council Finance and Construction Committee held a meeting this morning, with the Department of Economic Development and its affiliated units attending to report. DPP Councilor Ho Meng-hua questioned the recent rat infestation issue in Taipei, which has drawn public concern. As the Market Administration Office manages places including wholesale markets, she asked whether the four production and marketing companies had implemented relevant rat control measures.
The Taipei Agricultural Products Marketing Co. stated that environmental cleaning and disinfection work for wholesale markets was outsourced in April and is currently ongoing. Subsequently, traps, glue boards, and bait will be set for prevention and control. The Taipei Fish Market Co. responded that pest control for rats and cockroaches is carried out twice a month.
The Taipei Livestock Products Marketing Co. stated that it has cooperated with environmental companies to carry out prevention and control operations in wholesale markets, and relevant medicines are regularly replaced. The Taipei Flower Market Co. responded that rat extermination is carried out every month.
DPP Taipei City Councilor Hung Chien-yi also raised the issue of rat control in the committee meeting. He said that the Taipei City Government manages places including wholesale markets and traditional markets, and these locations often have food, which may lead to more rats.
He stated that he previously smelled a foul odor like a corpse in a certain market and asked the Market Administration Office to investigate, only to find a dead rat lying in the ventilation opening. He believes that using poison to eliminate rats may be a temporary solution, and the city government should keep track of where rats die after poisoning, so that foul odors do not permeate the market.
Chen Chun-an, Director of the Taipei City Department of Economic Development, responded that he would follow the councilor's suggestions and keep track of the follow-up. He also said that from January to February this year, a pest control company was commissioned to carry out cleaning and disinfection in public markets and other places, and rat poison was placed inside boxes with warning labels on the outside.
Chen Chun-an said that in the future, they will investigate whether there are rat holes at the junction of relevant buildings and the outside world. If so, they will reinforce them and add locks and covers to market garbage storage stations and garbage bins. Relevant prevention and control measures will continue to be reviewed on a rolling basis, and new prevention methods will be proposed to assist vendors. (Editor: Chen Jen-hua) 1150505
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The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or used without authorization.