The Consumer Protection Commission is cooperating with public agencies and private organizations to assist victims of the recent contaminated food incident in filing claims for compensation, according to the CPC June 9.
“Victims can lodge compensation claims against food providers by showing the receipt, packaging or unfinished product, as long as the goods are among those identified by the Department of Health as containing plasticizers,” Wu Cheng-hsueh, a section chief with the CPC, said.
In response to concerns that individuals might face difficulties in filing their claims, Wu pointed out that the CPC has reached an agreement with the Ministry of Justice, the Association for Victims Support and the Legal Aid Foundation to provide necessary assistance.
“Service and consultation centers have been expanded to more than 121 locations,” he stressed, adding that consumers can download claim forms at http://www.cpc.gov.tw (in Chinese only).
Wu said consumer protection officers have demanded that distributors come up with policies for the return of products. Those who refuse to allow consumers to return merchandise will face fines between NT$30,000 (US$1,035) and NT$150,000 in accordance with the Act Governing Food Sanitation, he said.
The scare began when the plasticizer diethylhexylphthalate (DEHP) was found in sports drinks May 23. Similar chemicals have since been detected in candies, juice products and health supplements. Unscrupulous manufacturers added the industrial plasticizers to clouding agents as a cheap substitute for palm oil. The clouding agents were then used by many downstream companies as additives in a wide variety of products.
Sports drinks, juices, teas, syrups and jams, and tablets and powders have been banned in markets since May 31 unless certified free of plasticizers.
In addition, two amendments to the Act Governing Food Sanitation passed final reading in the Legislative Yuan June 10.
The revised bill provides for fines of up to NT$600 million and imprisonment for as many as seven years for manufacturers of food products with unsafe additives. Violators could also have their licenses revoked and be prohibited from having their companies registered.
As of June 9, a total of 19,662 distributors had been inspected, with 23,435 products taken down from the shelves, according to the DOH. (THN)
Write to Grace Kuo at mailto:morningk@mail.gio.gov.tw