Public health is being jeopardized by unsound slaughter regulations which allow the consumption of nearly 4 million unhealthy chickens a year, activists from animal conservation and environmental groups said yesterday.
The activists told a press conference in Taipei that the 170 million domestic chickens consumed each year in this country are slaughtered in traditional markets under unhygienic conditions.
PHOTO: THE ENVIRONMENT AND ANIMAL SOCIETY OF TAIWAN (EAST)
They said only 5 percent of the poultry are electrically slaughtered under conditions that meet the Chinese Agricultural Standards (CAS), a system that ensures the safety of agricultural products.
In the US, the activists said, about 2.3 percent of inferior slaughtered poultry meat would be thrown out.
"It implies that each year 3.91 million unhealthy chickens, which deserve to be thrown away, are eaten by consumers," said Chen Yu-min (
EAST members spent months making a documentary about chicken slaughtering in traditional markets -- and they said they were appalled by the lack of division between live chickens and killed ones.
"Most chickens have their throats cruelly cut by sharp knives and then are thrown into boiling water to remove their feathers before they have even breathed their last breath," said Shih Wu-hung (
Displaying photos and videotapes, activists said that waste-water contaminated by chicken giblets, feathers, chicken feces and blood was arbitrarily discharged in the markets.
"If the government doesn't regulate the slaughter of chickens, we're afraid that bird flu will hit Taiwan sooner or later," Chen said.
Two cases of bird flu reported in Hong Kong last week raised fears of another epidemic such as the one in 1997 that killed six people, forced the mass slaughter of millions of birds in the territory and briefly caused alarm about the possibility of a global epidemic.
Chen said that the bird flu virus is likely contracted by direct contact with chicken feces.
Jong De-shien (鍾德憲), associate professor of animal science at the National Taiwan University, told the press conference that a clear division is required at slaughtering plants between chicken carcasses, the gutted internal organs and waste matter.
Chen also said the frequent smuggling of poultry and agricultural products between Taiwan, China and Hong Kong have made this nation very vulnerable.
Chen criticized the government for excluding chicken slaughtering from the Husbandry Law (
The activists said that the Control Yuan should investigate the Council of Agriculture (COA) for its neglecting duties.
The COA's Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine issued a press release yesterday afternoon, noting that 160 million broilers being slaughtered each year are examined and, on average, about 3 percent of them were discarded for not meeting standards.
The statement said that since last year the bureau has promoted the electronic slaughter of chickens and provides technical assistance to people who want to establish new slaughter houses.
The statement did not address the request to include poultry slaughter in the Husbandry Law.
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
RSS