《TAIPEI TIMES 焦點》 Eggs sold in single-use packaging

CONSUMER WELFARE: The changes are to help protect people from avian flu, and were announced two years ago to give vendors time to comply, the council said

By Jake Chung / Staff writer, with CNA

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Fresh eggs must be sold in single-use packaging to protect consumer health, according to an amendment to the Transmissible Animal Disease Prevention and Control Act （動物傳染病防治條例） that comes into effect today.

The Council of Agriculture amended Article 14 of the act on Dec. 24, 2014, saying that the amendment would allow a two-year adjustment period.

Eggs sold in supermarkets, convenience stores and hypermarkets come in plastic packaging, but traditional markets and some breakfast stores have eggs out in the open with no containers and can be unwashed, which increases the risk of spreading avian flu, the council said.

Avian flu viruses are becoming more severe worldwide and now pose a threat to human life, the council said.

People in breach of the of the act could be fined between NT$30,000 and NT$150,000, it added.

Consumer Foundation vice chairman Yu Kai-hsiung （游開雄） said the two-year interim period was enough time for both the central government and local governments to help businesses prepare for changes.

Single-use packaging would help contain the spread of avian flu and offer consumers confidence in the product, he said, adding that the government should be especially strict in light of the H5N6 avian flu in South Korea, a strain of the virus that can be passed between animals and humans.

While the initial implementation of the policy might not be widespread, we urge the government to conduct periodic checkups, he said, adding that the foundation would also be making inspections.

Owners of a breakfast store in Taipei, surnamed Chen （陳）, and a vendor in a traditional market, surnamed Lo （羅）, said they were willing to follow the policy, but felt the parameters were slightly unreasonable.

The inclusion of both the provider of the eggs and the store purchasing the eggs in the event of a violation is unreasonable, they said, as it is the seller who should be responsible for the packaging.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES