Lawmakers Criticize Taichung Government Over Carcinogenic Oil Report Omissions

Taichung City officials are facing sharp criticism from lawmakers over their handling of a scandal involving carcinogenic oil produced by the company Zhonglian. City Councilor Lin De-yu accused the municipal government of deliberately omitting past inspection records in a special report presented to the city council, thereby attempting to evade responsibility.

Lin argued that the report, presented after the incident was reported on June 30, 2026, failed to include any historical data on inspections or tests conducted on Zhonglian's products. He asserted that this selective presentation of information showed a lack of genuine remorse and an unwillingness to confront the reality of inadequate oversight.

However, Health Bureau Director Zeng Zi-zhan countered that the bureau had inspected Zhonglian's oil products six times between 2022 and June 2026, prior to the notification of the incident. He also mentioned that other companies, such as Formosa Oil and Fwusow, had also undergone inspections during the same period.

Despite the bureau's claims, councilors like Chiang Chao-kuo questioned the frequency and intensity of inspections, especially given Zhonglian's significant market share in Taiwan. Chiang drew parallels to a previous case involving Costco's Hepatitis A-tainted berries, suggesting a pattern of lax enforcement and questioning whether the city government's approach might be perceived as overly lenient, potentially acting as a "gatekeeper" rather than a strict regulator.