Taiwan's Nantou County has started punishing people who make and sell homemade insect poisons online, which is bad news for small Facebook and LINE sellers but aimed at protecting families.

• The county's environmental agency has already penalized two cases, with fines running as high as NT$300,000.
• Selling homemade ant powder or roach killer in Facebook groups and LINE chats is illegal, as is buying unapproved foreign bug products for others.
• Making or mixing your own mosquito repellent, insecticide, ant or roach killer, or disinfectant counts as a fake or substandard drug under the law.
• These products have unknown ingredients and strength and never passed safety testing, so they may not kill the bugs and could permanently harm children and pets.

Outlook: Expect more enforcement against online sellers as the county keeps watching social media and messaging groups.