In 2021, environmental agencies across the country carried out inspections on environmental agent advertisements and labels and conducted random inspections on the active ingredients of environmental agents. A total of 37,621 cases were inspected, with a passing rate of 98.7%. Among all cases, 10,242 cases were of environmental agent advertisements, with 233 cases determined to be illegal. Illegal advertisement cases largely comprised individuals advertising and selling environmental agents such as disinfectants and cockroach or ant killers on e-commerce sites.

To ensure that consumers purchase legal and safe environmental agents, every year the EPA formulates an Environmental Agent Inspection Plan for local environmental protection bureaus to implement. This year, the bureaus carried out a total of 27,260 inspections on labels, finding 270 non-conforming cases, and performed 117 random inspections on the active ingredients of environmental agents, finding no non-conforming cases. They also discovered two cases of counterfeit environmental agents which were not approved and registered. Penalties have been issued in accordance with regulations for all the aforementioned non-conforming products, and violators were given deadlines to remove products from their shelves.  

It is easy to buy and sell goods through online shopping platforms nowadays. However, the public is reminded not to advertise or sell environmental agents online if licenses for selling the environmental agents have not been obtained. Once caught, those who sell or advertise environmental agents online will be fined between NT$60,000 to NT$300,000. The EPA urged the public to uphold the ‘three nos’ principles concerning the advertisement of environmental agents. First, no posting­–do not post ads and sell online without licenses. Second, no indiscriminate buying–do not buy environmental agents of unknown origin or those that do not have words showing they are approved by the EPA printed on them. Third, no recommending–do not claim the efficacy of environmental agents in killing or repelling insects in online advertisements.  

 

If members of the public wish to know whether environmental agents are legally registered, they can go to the Environmental Agent Permit and Pest Control License Website (https://mdc.moenv.gov.tw/PublicInfo), established by the Toxic and Chemical Substance Bureau of the EPA, to inquire by entering the product names and permit numbers. They can also search on the website for legal pest control operators or environmental agent sellers. To know more about the safe application of environmental agents or to search for more information on non-conforming environmental agent products, please refer to the Guidance for the Safe Application of Environmental Agents Website (https://www.cha.gov.tw/lp-327-1.html). 

Excerpt from Major Environmental Policies, June 2022