Mouse bites and torn tarpaulins expose weak protection at Wenshan landfill

At Taichung’s Nantun Wenshan landfill, protective measures for stored waste bales have failed repeatedly. City Councillor Ho Wen-hai described the sequence bluntly: rats damaged the bags in March, the city covered them with tarpaulins in May, and strong winds tore the covers apart in August.

Ho said the landfill is holding large quantities of bagged waste until the rebuilt Wenshan incinerator is completed. The initial damage, caused by stray dogs and rodents, created disorder and allowed unpleasant odors to spread. The Environmental Protection Bureau then installed black tarpaulins, but the open terrain and strong winds damaged them within three months.

A recent inspection found that workers were relying on manual stitching and patches. Ho said the city could not continue using temporary fixes and demanded a fundamental solution for the reconstruction gap, which he said would last five years. He called for a review of the tarpaulins’ weather and wind resistance, stronger rodent control and fencing, and a formal system of regular inspections and reinforcement.

The Environmental Protection Bureau said it had applied to the animal protection authorities to set up traps for capturing or driving away dogs. It also bought cat and dog repellent. Contractors assessed damaged bales and repaired those considered only lightly damaged. No new bagged waste is currently being sent to the Wenshan landfill for temporary storage. Existing bales have been covered with opaque black netting to reduce sunlight-related deterioration of the plastic film and provide a second layer of protection.