A Taichung man got a two-year prison sentence for secretly stashing 104 barrels of toxic, flammable industrial waste in a rented factory — bad news for him, and worse for the landlord still stuck with the mess.

• He rented the Qingshui district factory in 2021 claiming he would shred wood and raise earthworms.
• Instead he trucked in waste at night: 104 barrels of toxic and flammable industrial waste, plus plastic scrap, powder, and construction debris.
• He paid only the first month's rent; the dump was discovered when the landlord won an eviction case and showed up with police and the court in late 2022.
• On appeal he blamed a friend who has since died, saying he had handed over the keys while on the run — the high court called the story contradictory and self-serving.
• Nearly five years on, none of the waste has been cleared, and a vague promise to pay for cleanup earned him no leniency.

Outlook: The two-year sentence stands and a further appeal is still possible, but the barrels look set to sit where they are.